


Wolves

by AlbaStarGazer



Category: Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Abduction, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Assault, Boss/Employee Relationship, Captivity, Compulsion, Death, Details of Murder, Dreams, Drugging, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fighting, Genetic Testing, Graphic Violence, Heavy Angst, Imprisonment, Manipulation, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mind Reading, Minor Character Death, Murder, Nightmares, Pack Dynamics, Possessive Behavior, Pregnancy, Premonitions, Rutting, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Supernatural Elements, Talk of Forced Pregnancy, Talk of Pregnancy, Threats, Unplanned Pregnancy, Violence, Werewolf, Werewolf Mates, Werewolves, Wolves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-03
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-03-26 13:04:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 32
Words: 167,548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13858335
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AlbaStarGazer/pseuds/AlbaStarGazer
Summary: Rey Kenobi is a human beta until one fatal night and everything changes. With the existence of werewolves turning her world upside down, she is left with only her boss, Ben Solo, to help. Little did she know he is an Alpha wolf and the next leader of his pack, intent on claiming his rare omega.





	1. Attack

**Author's Note:**

  * For [LoveofEscapism](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LoveofEscapism/gifts).



He was an enigma, Rey Kenobi decided after her third cup of tea that morning. To many, her boss was considered a quiet man, a fair one too but behind the shy gazes and speeches, she saw something in the glint of his obsidian eyes, a flash of fire, a flair of something deep within him that he worked tirelessly to control. She wasn’t sure if what she saw terrified her or whether it called to her.

She watched him more than she would admit. He was a curious sort of handsome, taller than anyone she had ever come across before, he was impossibly broad. Hell, he was big all over. He was pale but a constellation of dark beauty marks made a path across his face from his plump red lips, all the way past his noble nose. His hair was a wonder of its own, it was long and sat in perfect coifed waves, covering the ears he was so self conscious about. He was beautiful.

She settled in her seat opposite Ben and pulled out her trusty notebook and sat back in her chair, brushing the top of her pen across her bottom teeth. She tapped each tooth for good measure. It was a habit, meetings with members of the board were notoriously bland and she suspected she would have to pinch herself more than once to stay awake amongst the dreary voices of wealthy old men. 

Armitage Hux, Ben’s vice president entered and took the seat next to Rey. As he sat, he brushed his shoulder against hers and she startled, not expecting the sudden contact.

“My apologies Miss Kenobi,” Hux drawled, too close to her face, the pungent scent of stale coffee and cigarette smoke filled her nostrils and she coped the best she could, hoping the way she sat back even further did not appear as if she was recoiling in disgust, which she was, but she knew how important appearances were. He placed his hand on her knee and squeezed it, holding it for a second too long before bringing it upon his own lap, drumming his stubby fingers on the fine fabric of his suit trousers.

Heat filled her cheeks when she nodded and noticed Ben staring at her before shifting his gaze to Hux, a heavy glare permeated his usually calm features. And then there was the fire, the one set behind his eyes, the kind that made him crush his hand into a fist at his side.

Her heart raced, as no one else appeared to notice his silent anger, which wasn’t odd. He had barely moved but her observant eyes noted everything about him.

Hux only smiled from his place next to her, leaning inwards as he reclined and crossed his legs at his ankles beneath the table. The two men did not break eye contact until one of the older members of the board members sneezed and then pulled out some numbers about last quarter’s performance.

Rey let out the breath she did not know she was holding when Ben’s features softened as he looked down at the papers in front of him. That was something that always calmed him, he would lose himself for hours in numbers, numbers were easy to understand. Sometimes when she left the office late, she would find him hunched over the desk that seemed too small to accommodate his broad frame, asleep in between books or files. Sometimes she wanted to wake him but she could never convince herself to do so. He seemed so much younger when asleep, so much more at peace and she did not have the heart to intrude on that peace.

Rey crossed the leg closest to Hux over her thigh in hope that he would keep his grubby little hands to himself. She began to take notes soon after. For the first hour, she remained alert and awake but near the end of the second she struggled. She pinched her thigh, once and then twice as the grip on her pen loosened. She was not where she wanted to be. She wanted to be making the products that the manufacturing company sold, not playing assistant to its CEO but she knew she was lucky, many would kill to be in her position but Rey was a tinker, she wanted to feel metal under her hands or design until her heart burst.

Just as her hand threatened to fall out from beneath her chin, a large foot tapped on her own. She looked up and found Ben offering her a small smile. She liked to think that he understood how dreadful these meetings were.

She mouthed a thank you his way and pinched once more, harder than before and worked on recording the words of the man speaking.

It was another hour before the meeting wrapped up. Hux lingered behind, standing too close to Rey, his body brushing against her back. This time she did recoil and stepped away from him.

“Miss Kenobi, would you like to go for drinks tonight with it being Friday and all?” Hux asked, he rounded near her again.

She rolled her eyes and stopped a sigh escaping her.

“Sorry Mr Hux but I have plans,” she shot off quickly, gathering papers from the desk.

“I bet our plans would best them,” he retorted, confident in his pursuit of the pretty brunette.

Before she could decline again, Ben Solo stepped into view, towering over Hux, looking particularly tired of the exchange, even more so than Rey.

“Hux, you best be getting home to Millicent.”

It was not a suggestion, it was an order. Hux thought it over for a moment, before shrugging.

“Another time I suppose Miss Kenobi.” 

He left and they were alone.

“Thank you Mr Solo,” Rey murmured quietly as he moved towards her.

The fire in his eyes was dimming after Hux’s departure but still, he appeared pent up and unlike the quiet man, she had known over the last few years. She bent at the waist across the table to gather the final papers. 

He watched her intently, secretly loving the way she bent across the desk. He had imagined her in the position since he saw her but he never made a move or showed his intentions. He was complicated and he did not want to sweep up innocents in his life, not that he could anyway. More was expected of him and his position so instead he watched her from afar and the more time he spent watching her, the more he realised that she watched him too. 

She stared mostly when he was hard at work, she chewed the ends of her pens and he used every bit of strength in him not to close the space between them and put her pretty little mouth to better use. He was an Alpha, she was obviously a human Beta and no matter what desire or affection he felt for the girl, nothing could come of it. Not that it stopped Hux. Hux was a beta, he was free to come as he pleased, there was no expectations of him, he could find another wolf or human, and their status would matter not. But that did not stop Hux goading him at the office. Hux presumed Ben wanted his lovely little assistant regardless if she was only human and a beta at that and he loved to ruffle Ben’s feathers. Ben knew as much since he could read his mind, as any Alpha could a wolf beta. But Rey’s mind, Ben could not hear a thing or draw out any of her thoughts no matter how hard he tried. If anyone else discovered this he would be shamed, he was supposed to be an Alpha, a leader of society and strong in his father’s pack, he was next in command, set to inherit the title whenever his father stood down or perished.

“Ben,” Rey whispered, she gazed up at the towering man, her nimble fingers on his forearm as she shook him.

He had seemed miles away as she worked and tried to gain his attention. She admired the faraway look in his eyes.

Finally, he smiled down at her, trying not to think of her cold digits on his feverishly warm skin. The contrast was tantalising to him.

“Thank you again for Hux. That man certainly doesn’t know when to stop,” she added, rolling her eyes.

Ben chuckled.

“No, no he doesn’t.”

Silence lingered between them.

“What are your plans for the weekend Rey,” Ben asked to distract himself. 

He had to attend a gathering of his kind and was pent up thinking about it. Nevertheless, he was always itching to transform, to run free in his second skin.

“I am heading up to the lake, my grandfather willed me a small cabin there and I wanted to make the most of it,” Rey smiled.

She had not been to the cabin in a while but growing up with her grandfather and spending summers there was a fond memory of hers.

Ben frowned a little. The lake was where the pack was gathering and he tried to remember the cabins. He hoped she meant the cabins on the other-side of the lake, the ones not too deep into the woods. 

“That sounds like a lovely way to spend the weekend. I hope you have a wonderful time.” 

He was deep in thought.

Rey nodded and packed her bag, ready to leave for the day. She could not wait to get on the road.

“I hope your weekend is as equally exciting. If that is everything, I will get going if that is okay?” She asked, looking towards the door.

“Sure, sure,” Ben nodded, opening the door for her.

With a small smile sent his way, she left the building. He watched her, his large hands gripping the wooden frame of the window; it creaked under the pressure of his strong grip. He remained that way until she hopped in her old car and was out of sight. 

The drive to the lake was pleasant. With her bag already prepped and packed in the passenger seat of her beloved car, she drove towards the outskirts of town as soon as she left work. There was no point in hanging around and delaying the travel and she was desperate to revisit the cabin. She had made sure to ring ahead to the woman she hired to keep it clean through weekly visits that she was arriving and that her presence this weekend would not be needed.

Rey liked to drive. Old Ben Kenobi finally taught her before she turned ten, after years of begging, pleading and bargaining. The old man was fond of his only granddaughter, the girl he raised as his own after her parents perished soon after she was born. He found it hard to deny her anything, not that she wanted for much. As long as she could tinker with his car or keep an unusual amount of plants in her room, she was content; no trouble came from her as she grew. Therefore, he taught her to drive on his private land at the lake and she had not looked back since.

She fiddled with her archaic entertainment system and decided upon one of her favourite albums, Californication. The sounds of Around the World by Red Hot Chilli Peppers filled the small space, she drummed her little fingers along to the beat of the bass on her steering wheel, bobbing her head as she went and she sang aloud and proud, earning more than a stare or two when she stopped at a red light. She merely shrugged them off with a coy smile and sang louder.

Travelling to the lake usually took an hour but with it being Friday and rush hour, it took nearly two but she cared not. It meant she could listen to Californication fully and then delve into some Depeche Mode as she guided the beetle through the long stretch of winding roads and turns as she neared closer to her cabin. It was deep within the woods and that was preferable to her. Ben Kenobi enjoyed his privacy and so did Rey. He had purposefully built his cabin in a secluded area to the north of the water, which made it difficult for anyone to find it unless they specifically knew where they were going. More than once the housekeeper lost her way trying to find it when she was initially hired.

She pulled up a little after seven and tugged her bag-pack over her shoulder. The air was humid with summer heat but the night was quiet except for the occasional crickets. She inhaled, moaning when the familiar outdoors scents filled her senses. She spent all of her summers here and she used the familiarity like a crutch, it held her in place when she wanted to fall and mourn over her grandfather. An aneurism ended his life the summer before. Despite the grief of losing him, she was glad that he had not suffered, that she didn’t have to witness the most important person in her life dwindle into nothing and battle a long term illness.

With her free arm, she brought her treasured pendant to her chest; the kenobi crest nestled around a blue crystal and kissed it before entering the cabin.

The cabin was neater than she remembered. Mira had done a brilliant job in maintaining its upkeep. As she opened the windows to let in some more of the fresh air she made a note to thank her in some way before she left.

Also thanks to Mira, the small under counter fridge was stocked well and she plucked a bottle of wine from the small shelfs and poured herself a hearty glass. Partaking in drinking was an occasional habit for Rey; she adored a rich red as she curled up with a book. In her college days, she was known to drain a keg easily with the help of her closest friends, Finn, Poe and Rose but those days were behind her.

The tiredness and mundane events of the day caught up to her soon after she settled on the couch. It was too warm for a fire but she gazed at the fireplace none the less. How many times had she fallen asleep in front of it? Pictures lined its mantel, a young Rey on the shoulders of her grandfather smiling wide despite her lack of teeth, another of Rey sat behind it with her at the wheel of her beetle with a determined expression on her face despite being unable to reach the peddles at the time. Her favourite was the candid shot of old Ben as he sat admiring the lake, his face a picture of calm, peace and serenity. She wondered if she could ever achieve such an inner calm.

She missed him. A small sob erupted from her throat, a few tears followed. She blamed the drained glass of wine but got up to pour another regardless. The floorboards squeaked as she worked. It felt right. Her grandfather built the cabin with his bare hands as a young man and Rey was not sure if she could modify it when the time called for it. The idea of his work decaying over time felt bittersweet to the twenty two year old. Death was a part of life, wood rot and decayed. More than once the notion of making repairs and modifications, herself scurried across her mind. Rey could build anything; she was good with her hands and had a patient and absorbent mind to learn any trade she desired.

She would think about it another time.

She quietly set about making a small meal of chicken and rice before deciding upon spending the night on the porch. She juggled a thin blanket, a pillow, her food and more wine under her arms and sat outside on the swinging chair. It creaked and whined as if it was feeling its age or to say hello to the girl who sat upon it since she was born.

The food did not last long; the wine awoke a new appetite in her. She plated another portion, opened a new bottle, and settled into her blanket, curling her feet under her. It was dark by the time she had finished the bottle and she was more than merry, swinging in her chair, head flopping back. She could not remember the last time she was that happy or that drunk but it meshed into one so she giggled away as the full moon above her rose higher into the sky. 

She was not sure how much time had passed but her lids were heavy and her head more than light when she heard the scream. She fell forward, her glass shattering at her feet as she stumbled forward, inadvertently standing in small pile of glass. A small hiss emitted from her lips as she clutched the blanket around her petite frame as she browsed the darkness with a bated breath.

Another scream pierced the air and she was off, toeing on her shoes as she rounded the back of her cabin towards the noise. If someone was hurt, she had to help them, they were miles from anywhere and cell reception was non-existent this far into the woods. She thanked whoever rested above that her eyes had acclimatised to the darkness in record time as she made her way through the thick thicket of trees behind her property. She knew the back of the woods like the back of her hand, she could guide herself through them blindfolded if need be. She stumbled once or twice, her limbs not quite as coordinated as usual due to the two bottles of wine she consumed in quick succession but she made do, growing frantic when more screams pierced the quiet night air.

She could not leave the person out here; there was no thought of her returning alone and forgetting what she had heard. The screams were guttural with an almost animalistic tone to them; whoever was out there was hurt.

In a small clearing ahead, lay a woman on her side and Rey rushed to her side. She was nude and convulsing, her body contorting in odd movements. She stilled the woman with her shaky hands.

“Let me help you,” she all but begged, but the woman pushed her, hard enough for Rey to fall back on her back, temporarily winding her.

“Please…leave,” the woman begged, another shriek filled the air and Rey’s head spun. 

She could not leave her.

She caught her breath, exhaling heavily out of her mouth. Her lightweight limbs failed her once as she tried to get to her feet but on the second try, she managed, cursing herself for drinking so much. But how was she to know that something like this would happen! Nothing remotely interesting occurred for the twenty-two summers she spent here.

She scanned the darkness once again, this time in fear of the woman’s pursuer. Surely, she had been attacked, that was the only reasonable justification for the series of events. Rey stumbled forward searching the thick bed of leaves before her digits curled around a heavy stick. She yanked it out of the brush and raised it up. It was her only defence.

She peered once more into the darkness seeing nothing but the woman roaring at her feet. But she did hear the snap of a twig behind her so she spun and swung hard.

A giant animal, what could only be described as some mutated wolf due to its size sprung from a bush and launched itself at Rey. The branch connected with its side and that slowed it, with a whine the red haired creature dropped to the ground with a thud but it continued its pursuit almost immediately.

Rey’s heart hammered against her chest, faster than it had done ever before as it closed the space between them and knocked her to the ground with it on top of her. Her make shift weapon fell between its teeth and in seconds it snapped its jaw once and then twice before the wood crumbled in her fingers. Its heavy claws raked at her shoulders, cutting her deep.

She screamed, blood rushing from her torn flesh as she tried and failed to keep the wolf from her face. She pinched at its neck, pulling at its fur and tried to get a grip on it but it was too large. She was utterly defenceless and shrieking like a banshee as its growls and snarls woke the night. With her right shoulder shredded deep under its claws, she thought that this was the end. She wanted to kick herself for getting herself into the situation. She’d be one of those stupid people you heard about who went hiking in the woods and shook your head over about their stupidity for getting mauled.

With a last ditch effort, she kicked hard between the creature’s back legs. She prayed to the god she had never believed in that it was a male, and was rewarded. It whined and fell limp at her side giving her the opportunity to slide out from underneath it and crawl on her knees away from it, her limbs were almost entirely useless now, her arm clawed to ruin and legs entirely too wobbly from intoxication or blood-loss, she wasn’t quite sure.

She made it another few feet away from the beast before it growled and mounted her from behind, sending her back down to the earth. Her face collided with a rock and it sent her world spinning. A growl, not from the red haired devil attacking her filled her senses. She opened her eyes to see another mammoth wolf leap through the air right towards her. This was the end she thought, all hope left her.

The collision was like a car wreck, the impact worse than she expected, the black wolf’s teeth clamped around her arm in the struggle, tearing apart the flesh but in an instant its jaw unlocked and it rounded on the smaller, wolf. This time despite the pain, she wasted no time in getting out of there, fuelled only by a sharp rush of adrenaline, Rey stood and ran towards the lights of her cabin. 

She was back on the high school track team as she left the growls, snarls and whines behind her. Her sole focus was the light on the porch, her tunnel vision set in. She was Reyna Kenobi leading her team to victory again in the relay; the finish line was a dream. She just needed to power that last spark of energy, a much-needed kick to get her there. Exhaustion was setting in hard but she soared across the ground, her heart in her throat. She was going to win this and in turn save her life.

What felt like an eternity later, she barrelled through the door. In her haze, she made sure to lock it, not that it would keep those wolves out if they really wanted to get in. Her breaths came out shallow and empty and she made her way to the bathroom in search of the first aid kit. She was in no condition to drive, even if it was life or death. 

Old Ben Kenobi was no fool. He spent a great deal of years in the military in a special branch, one unknown to most civilians. His survival skills were legendary amongst his fellow soldiers and he passed that knowledge down to Rey. He taught her how to survive the impossible…and always kept a well-stocked first aid kit. As a child, he had mended her broken bones when she fell from trees or taught her how to stitch up particularly deep wounds that she seemed to collect since she tinkered too much and metal had sharp edges. 

She thanked him, wherever he ended up and pulled out the massive box from the bathroom cupboard.

She breathed through her nose and squeezed her eyes shut. She had to think rationally and keep a level head. She needed to work on the worst of her injuries, she poked and prodded the gnarly bite on her forearm but it was insignificant in comparison to her ravaged shoulder. Five deep gashes trailed from her shoulder to her elbow and the bleeding had yet to stop. That was the place to start; she pulled a towel from the rack and placed it on the wound, hissing from the pressure. Her heartbeat thudded through the towel.

She held it there and her head felt light and fuzzy. She was going to pass out. She fell backwards into the bathtub but kept the pressure on the wound before tying it around her arm. She elevated the limb as her consciousness began to fade.

“You’re a shit Kenobi,” she muttered at herself, glaring at her horrid reflection before she lost consciousness.


	2. Rage

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look into Ben’s perspective of the night Rey was attacked.

Ben thought of Rey as he nursed his drink by the campfire. He had admired her beauty from the day he had laid eyes on her, but today in her little yellow sundress complete with a floral print, befitting of the summer heat, he fell further for her. She had painted her tiny fingernails a delightful lemon yellow and throughout the meeting, he found himself outright gawking at her. Hux noticed. 

Surprisingly, she never noticed, or did not give the impression that she had. He knew of how board meetings bored her to no end; more than once he saw her pinch herself in an effort to stay awake, not that he could blame her for doing so. The meetings were mundane but a necessary vice of owning a company. He actually enjoyed having to tap her foot under his own to keep her awake. It gave him an excuse to touch her, oh how he wanted to touch her. The act seemed much more intimate than it was and her responding scarlet blush only stirred him more.

She was an exquisite creature, tiny in comparison to himself but he adored the idea that he could hold her body close and engulf her with his entirely, consuming her whole. Rey kept herself fit and healthy, and to him at least, she was the epitome of femininity and health. She was of fine breeding he knew for sure. Her face was angular, all high cheekbones and a tiny nose. There was not an ounce of misplaced fat, which only extenuated her elegant features. Sometimes he would count the speckle of freckles that decorated her golden, sun kissed skin and he would lose himself in the act.

But it was her eyes that trapped him, they threatened to drown him and swallow him whole and he would let them, he would gladly drown in her gaze. They contrasted beautifully with her skin as they shone a bright hazel, a forest green surrounded by a peculiar solid ring of golden yellow with shards of molten brown splattered through. He was infatuated, there was little doubt about that and it seemed that everyone but her knew of it. Hux would often send knowing glances his way and rile him up with his attempts to woo her. However, she rejected him. Every time without fail. Ben liked to tell himself it was because she wanted him too but he knew not to presume the will of others, especially with her being unattainable, out of his reach.

The thought of her never being his often caused floods of despair to cloud his vision. Other times, he would anger but she always calmed him, with one look his way she tamed the beast and hurt inside him. Oh his Juliet.

An Alpha of his standing was expected to mate with a fellow wolf, a beta considering the lack of options. He disliked the idea, resented it in fact, as he knew a beta would never sate him, never fill the hole inside him as Rey possibly could. Betas were not made for alphas, they served underneath them but physically speaking, he could never mate in the way he wanted with a beta, they were mostly incompatible but desperate times called for desperate measures. He was the last young of his bloodline and with that; he had the responsibility to further it.

As with all of his employees, each were expected to undergo a physical when they joined the company and he had scoured Rey’s medical files more than once, ignoring all ethics. Her health was better than most, she was in sublime shape with no abnormalities but she was a human beta, a mismatch for his needs more so than a beta wolf from of his kind. When his suspicions of her status were confirmed, he destroyed his office, unable to accept or stomach the blow. Nearing thirty, he knew he could no longer delay the inevitable of settling with a mate and breeding, to further concrete his place when he eventually became pack leader like his father before him.

Sometimes he hated himself entirely for liking Rey at all. She was not meant for him because only a rare omega could make him whole, the true counterpart of an alpha, but with his kind dwindling in numbers, the elusive wonder that were the omegas had almost died out entirely. He had never come across one in person, not even a human one. It irked him terribly. 

It was his alpha instincts that he worked to hide so well that urged him to claim Rey regardless of consequence, to take her as his own, but he killed them every time. Rey only saw the quiet side of him, the meek man he presented himself as to represent his image as the owner of the company. She knew very little of the real darkness or conflict inside him. That only furthered his resolve that she could not be his and the idea tore him in two.

He took another drink of the amber fluid, draining his glass in an attempt to wash away his bitter thoughts. The gathering was well underway but he could not seem to settle, not when he knew that Rey was spending the weekend at a cabin on the very same lake. His pack, headed by his father was not a vicious one but some of the younger ones struggled with control, it was why they kept themselves hidden in the woods on full moons so they could support each other and keep civilisation safe in case of a rogue incident. 

“What’s on your mind,” the gentle voice of his mother came from beside him. Leia squeezed his knee, a comforting reassurance he had enjoyed since childhood but it was not enough to end his torment, it would never be enough.

He shrugged, losing himself in the flames of the fire once more.

“I am tired.” 

He was not lying, but why or what he was tired of, he did not disclose.

Leia could sense his discomfort but decided not to pry. Ben was an open book when he wanted to share but when he did not, it was best not to push him. She had learned that much of her son. In the distance, her husband jeered as he drank, smiling like a fool as he drank with his closest friend, Chewie. A man as hairy human as he was when a wolf. She hoped that one day Ben could laugh like that, sit straight and proud instead of hunched over as if the weight of the world was crushing his shoulders inwards.

“I am surprised Kylo has not made an appearance tonight,” she murmured, resting her head on his shoulder.

He accommodated her by slouching down. For an alpha, his mother was tiny but she made up for it in other ways. Leia Skywalker Solo was a hundred feet tall in spirit.

Kylo was the name of his inner wolf, the name people referred to whenever they were in their wolf form. Everyone knew of his mother’s wolf fondly named General…a formidable spearhead in the pack. He was not sure who gave him the name Kylo but his mother told him an old, dear friend had bestowed it upon him as a young child and he could not get rid of it. Hux even preferred it to Ben but he could not care, Kylo was every bit apart of him as Ben was.

“I feel like resisting the moon tonight, let the young ones stretch their legs and have all the fun.”

“You’re making me feel old,” Leia teased lightly, smiling into his shoulder.

“With age comes wisdom,” Ben countered, clenching his empty tumblr.

“How do you explain your father then?” 

He chuckled, his shoulders shaking uncontrollably with the genuine laughter. A pack leader Han may have been, but wise he was not. Everyone knew it was Leia who kept him straight and that was expected. They were both Alphas, neither one willing to submit. They were notorious in their younger days for the fights and trouble they caused each other. It was to everyone’s surprise when they announced their mating and engagement only a few weeks after meeting, his mother the tender age of twenty. They were both fiery and stubborn but they loved each other and that was enough. While his mother was tactical and intelligent, his father was a social man who could guide the currents of a room with ease. He was a people person and that made him a perfect pack leader. His people came first, technicalities second but Leia did her best to keep him in shape and it worked, for decades it had worked.

Once his laughter died down, Leia kissed Ben’s cheek and left him to his thoughts. Ben was grateful that she did not crowd or smother him, neither of his parents did and he was thankful that they understood him well enough. He poured himself another whiskey, opting to keep the bottle at his feet and watched the celebration of dozens of his pack mates. Many danced naked around the countless fires; nudity was not taboo in their culture. Clothes only hindered the transformation process but he made sure not to let his gaze linger as he scanned the surroundings. Others sat around the fire and passed a pipe filled with marijuana. The substance had been used for thousands of years by their kind, usually on a full moon to ease the shock of their impending transformation. Some carried the pain of it during every shift but Ben never felt pain when he freed Kylo. It was different for everyone he supposed, not that he did not know of the pain. He also knew other types of pain it was one of the few things that felt real or familiar to him. 

Some younger ones chose to shift into their wolf forms; they chased each other amongst the trees, more than happy to be able to transform in a safe environment and to let their wolves run free, even if it was only for a night. Ben usually joined them, aching to stretch his inner wolf but tonight was different, there was a heaviness in the air, almost suffocating and he decided it was his anxiety over Rey’s close proximity, not that he could sense or even smell her from where he sat. He hoped that meant she was far from where the pack celebrated, the further away she was, the better for everyone.

Ben opted to drink instead. Alcohol inhibited him and dulled his superior senses but he enjoyed the feeling, the feeling of being weightless instead of anchored and heavy with grief.

He was deep into the bottle when Hux ran to him, a frantic look upon his gaunt face. His childhood friend and closest companion rarely appeared so rattled so he stood immediately, more than worried and met him half way.

“It is Phasma…she is going through her first transformation tonight and some of the younglings lost her. You need to help me find her!” Hux all but begged.

Ben’s stomach plummeted. If she had strolled too far from their camp, she could risk being seen or ran the chance of stumbling across a human. His thoughts inevitably turned to Rey, and then Phasma, a woman inexperienced with turning. The hypothetical danger for both parties sent a shiver of ice down his spine.

“You head north, I will take south and try to pick up her scent,” Ben growled and took off running, his glass smashed under his fingers as he disappeared from his place by the fire.

He stripped himself of his clothes as he ran, shedding everything he could until he shifted, a gargantuan wolf taking his place. His wolf was the largest in the pack, a symbol of his alpha status, his fur thick and midnight black in colour. The most unsettling feature of his wolf’s form was the red ruby shine his eyes took, they frightened most but he found them strangely fitting, a symbol of his beastly counterpart. It also meant his gift of sight exceeded any others in the pack. 

He sprinted south, his well-muscled legs carrying him faster than he could have ever had achieved if he remained in his human form. All the while, he sniffed the air for any sign or tell of Phasma. She was older than most who went through their first transition but it was not unheard of for late development in some who carried the werewolf gene, most noticeably, females. The first shift was always the hardest, the pain was indescribable, the way the bones broke and realigned, the way the blood in their system turned to molten fire. Excruciating. He winced thinking of his own first time at the tender age of five, much younger than anyone had ever turned before. He had cried for days afterwards but Leia held him, refused to leave him until he could sob no more. After that, he felt no discomfort when letting Kylo take charge, it was unusual but no one questioned it, after all, he was an alpha and heir of the pack.

He carried on sprinting through the darkness for some time, finding no trace of Phasma or any indication she had followed his route so he stilled, focusing on Hux’s mind. He tuned in to the familiar thoughts of his friend within seconds, who had better luck than he did, Hux had caught her scent to the North. He turned and bounded in the right direction, soon finding himself following her scent for himself but something else lingered in the air. Another scent, faint but distinct. Distinct…and familiar.

He swore his heart stopped when the earthy scent hit him. Rey. The idea of her being caught up in the whole ordeal sickened him but he remained focused, pushing himself harder along the terrain of the woods until the scent of fresh blood filled his nostrils. His crimson eyes glazed his heart beating impossibly hot. His grip on his well-maintained self-control was slipping through his grasp and no matter how he fought to reign himself back in, there was nothing he could do to stop the new white-hot sense of mania that overtook him. Not with the scene that confronted him. No, he would not resist or force himself into submission, he could not!

The scene unfolding in front of him was barbaric. It was Rey, his Rey, fighting for her life. If he had thought she appeared tiny before, he was aghast at how little she appeared under Hux’s hulking frame. The sun no longer kissed her bronze skin, instead the moon’s pale glow had taken hold of her skin, and it was sickly pale under the coat of blood covering near every inch of her torso. He reared back, fighting the urge to vomit as Hux mounted her. She fought despite her disadvantage. She shrieked, her screams were louder than anything he had ever heard before in his life. They cut him deeper than any weapon ever could. They tormented him relentlessly and rallied his body into action. Hux clawed her shoulder once more; a fresh spilling of vermillion drooled out of her torn skin. His friend moved to kill, his jaw widening near her dainty neck, the idea of losing Rey, her lifeless body left in the dirt, spurred him further, and he closed the distance between them in one brilliant leap, pushing off his thick hind legs. He soared through the air with his wide jaw unhinged, his sharp teeth primed ready as he collided with the struggling bodies.

All control was lost; he fell into the tangle of limbs, gnawing at the first bit of flesh he came across. He shook his head viciously and then unclamped his teeth. He reared them towards the neck of Hux after they landed on the earth below them. In his world, aiming for the neck meant one thing, death.

Ben Solo was going to kill his closest friend in the world, his brother, the boy he grew into a man with. Faintly, during the struggle he could hear Rey’s tipsy footsteps as she ran from the carnage. She was going to get away, but still that result did not calm him. Molten fire raged through his veins as he clawed at Hux’s chest, they slid through his fur and muscle with ease and little resistance.

“Kylo!” 

Hux’s thoughts filled his mind but Ben could not stop his assault. Hux fought hard, rolling with him more than once, kicking him in his abdomen, a rib or two cracked under his paw. However, red was all Ben could see, it was all he could taste and he wanted more.

The lifelong friends and brothers rolled once more, vicious snarls and guttural growls the only sound filling the night air. Ben’s fury rolled in manic currents inside and out of him.

“Ben!” 

Hux tried to reach him once again but he was too far-gone, the rage boiling and overflowing now.

Another voice did stop him though, the voice of his leader, the voice of his father.

“Ben, stop!” Han’s booming voice filled the clearing.

Never before had Ben wanted to resist a commanding order. Oh, how he fought but it was entirely useless. A wolf could not resist or go against the word of their leader; it was in their blood, their bones…their heart. His limbs moved without his consent, entirely against his own fruition as they worked to obey the order. It was a compulsion. Despite his efforts not to do so, he moved away from Hux’s writhing wolf form and lowered his head in a bow to Han. It was an act of submission.

Still, Ben fought the compulsion, his mouth filled with both Hux’s and Rey’s blood. Oh, there was so much of her blood. The leaves painted with her essence underneath where they had fought was evidence of that. Han rarely used the compulsion, favouring reason or respect when it came to people carrying out orders but he and Ben both knew that if he had not used it, Ben would have killed Hux. 

Ben had never felt as small in front of his father as he kept his head bowed, awaiting more instructions. His weakness sickened him. The resentment he felt towards his father was visceral and unfamiliar and it coiled within him. The shame of not being able to avenge Rey properly overtook his mind.

“Both of you shift now!” Han barked.

With a shudder, Ben shifted. He uncurled himself from the ground and stood tall, naked and unabashed. The pain in his broken, but healing ribs bothered him but he did not let it show, he had already shown weakness tonight. The chagrin rolled off him in waves and he was sure his father could sense it; he was not exactly hiding it.

Hux on the other hand, struggled with the change but he managed after a few tries. Like Ben, he was healing at an accelerated pace but there was a fair amount of damage, something he did not expect from the man he would sometimes call brother. He glared towards his would be attacker as he struggled to his feet. A rather sheepish looking Phasma appeared and helped him up. She was more than ashamed of herself for wandering off and straying from the pack but more than anything, she was distraught of the trouble she had brought to her pack.

Han sighed, glaring at the naked people in front of him. He had seen more cocks in his lifetime than be ever wanted; he threw a set of boxer briefs at his son’s feet and turned, walking towards the campsite. It was a silent tell, he expected them to follow to a safer place where they would not be disrupted.

A crowd had gathered during the chaos but they all dispersed, letting Han pass and then went about their night, some followed him to campfire, eagerly awaiting his judgement of the night’s events.

Ben pulled on his boxers which he was surprised to find were his own and reluctantly walked behind his father. He wanted nothing more to go to Rey, she was injured and it killed him to walk away. It went against every alpha instinct in his body to follow another man’s orders but it was worse to think of someone who needed his protection and that he was forced to leave them behind. Moreover, that someone was not just anyone; it was Rey, the one who claimed his heart without touching it. However, it would look terrible if Ben did not follow Han, even more than it did already. How was be supposed to lead some day if he could not keep a level head or follow his own father?

Hux stayed out of his way, trailing behind with Phasma. Ben was still rethinking letting him live. It pained him to do so, Hux was a difficult man and an even more annoying friend but they shared a history, a life, a coming of age together. Hux was the only one who understood the pain and trouble Ben felt when trying to adapt and thrive into society whilst all the while, appeasing his inner wolf.

What followed was a tense standoff as the pack gathered and listened to the retelling of the events. Once from Phasma, once from Hux and then Ben. Han insisted they each stay quiet as they individually presented their cases for judgement. 

Han sat with a worried looking but stoney faced Leia at his side and listened to the two men explain the situation. He was conflicted. Hux had acted rashly, Phasma was in no physical danger from the girl but she was close to her transformation. The girl could have seen Phasma shift and that struck a cord with him…exposure. It was what every pack feared especially with their little numbers. Then there was Ben, his son, seething as he defended his own actions.

Their arguing was giving him a headache, Leia squeezed his hand and intwined her fingers with his own. She exuded a wave of calm into him and for that, he was grateful.

You will do no such thing,” Ben snarled, his neck snapping down to face the injured Hux. He was struggling to maintain any façade of composure in front of the pack. He needed to show that he was a worthy leader of them in the future but his temper was rising, not dissipating.

“She saw us. She is probably bleeding out as we argue about this, it is best to put the girl out of her misery before she can expose us!” Hux argued from his place, far from the spot where Ben paced.

Without a thought, he closed he distance between them, towering over him, he was livid, seething, his chest heaving.

“She is an innocent! You attacked her, unprovoked, there is no grounds to take her life!”

“She found Phasma! What did you expect me to do?” Hux cried out, his hands flew upwards into the air.

Ben was silenced and took a step back. What had he expected him to do? Not to kill her! Not to attack a girl who worked under them and who they both knew personally. Hux had been all too eager only hours before to take her out for the night and instead he ended it with nearly killing her.

Worst of all, Hux knew how much he wanted Rey, he had witnessed the staring, the longing in his eyes and it killed him to think that he could have taken her out of this world, to snuff her light out, it would have taken a part of him too. That is why he could not sympathise with his friend’s pain or own internal dilemma that he had faced. Ben would never regret his actions or the choice to intervene with Hux’s judgement. If time called for it again, he would not hesitate in defending her, to kill Hux if he even thought of harming her again. 

“She will bleed out and that will be the end of it,” Phasma sighed from beside them. She hated the arguing, her head pounded, apparently a normal occurrence after her transformation. It was a traumatic ordeal, only heightened by the fact that she had managed to drag an innocent woman into her mess.

She fiddled with what she found at the scene of the attack in a mountain of leaves and blood and stood, handing the pendant to Han. She knew vaguely of its significance, she thought she had seen the crest in a book of their kind’s history before but she was still uncertain about it. There was no doubt it belonged to the woman in question, she had clearly lost it in the struggle.

Han took the pendant and gulped, shaking his head. It changed things, it would change everything. He squeezed his eyes shut as he handed the tiny, but figuratively heavy, bit of history to Leia.

“Tell me this girl that was attacked was not a Kenobi,” he whispered.

His tone frightened Ben, something that he had never felt from the words of his father before. He reeled around to face him and tried to discover what was happening. He had never seen his father so pale and distraught. It was eerily terrifying. It was as if he had seen a ghost, perhaps he had Ben thought.

Hux was the first to speak, still groggy from his injuries.

“Her name is Reyna, Reyna Kenobi but she goes by Rey. She is Ben’s personal assistant,” he answered his leader dutifully, rubbing his hand over his aching chest; the wounds inflicted by Ben were substantial. Despite the healing, pangs of pain coursed through his torso.

Han clenched his fists on his lap, Ben’s brow furrowed, this was not the man he knew, the man who huffed and smiled even at the most difficult of times.

“The girl will not be harmed. Hux forget any plans you had about finishing her off,” he warned, but his eyes were focused only on Ben.

Ben was intrigued, relieved to hear that his father had sided with him but he was equally confused. His gaze fell upon the pendant that Rey wore every day without fail, the pretty gold thing with a crystal coloured blue. She had told him once it was her family’s crest.

“What is going on?” He asked tentatively, finally stopping his erratic pacing. 

Leia stood, deciding to take it upon herself to answer her son.

“The Kenobi clan were one of the first of our kind. Their line is ancient and strong, like my father’s Skywalker line before him. We thought Ben Kenobi, the man you were named after was the last of their line…we had no idea he had a child, let alone a granddaughter,” she spoke quietly, placing the pendant into Ben’s palm and curling it closed like a hidden treasure. Ben’s mind recalled the picture on Rey’s desk of her grandfather, his namesake it seemed. 

“Old Ben cut himself off from all of us after your grandmother’s death. He blamed himself. He left the pack and left me to lead it after your grandfather disappeared,” Han continued, his voice croaky with grief.

“She carries the gene,” Hux whispered from across the fire. The implications were endless.

Ben stumbled back, a wave of emotions hitting him all at once. He tried his hardest not to fall on his ass from the shock. His legs eventually steadied.

“That goes for all of you. Rey Kenobi will come to no harm. If she survives the attack, she will not cause trouble for us. Now let’s move on from this and try to endure the night without no more difficulties,” Han ordered his face grey and grim.

Ben stood, struggling to breathe. He had to go to her. For all he knew she was dead already. The possibility shook him to his core. The blood-loss had been too great from what he could recall, which was murky at best. Remembering things from his wolf form was always a struggle, especially since he had been driven and lost in such rage. But there was hope.

She carried the wolf gene, she was human but he hoped, prayed that she would live and survive the night. If she did, he would never let her go.

Father and son shared a knowing look before Ben twirled and dashed into the woods. He followed the trail she left from the scene of the attack and her scent; he used it to anchor himself to the world and followed it like a man starved. In minutes, he reached her cabin.

He stilled and listened for her heartbeat. He waited and he was answered, it pumped with a resounding thud and he fell to his knees, the little sound sweet music to his ears. With more concentration, he listened to her breathing. Her little breaths were coming out slow and uneasy but she was breathing, that was something he told himself.

He leapt up the steps, ready to knock the door down if he had to but found himself unable to cross the small porch. His bare feet burned and he bounced off a seemingly invisible force that wrapped itself around the cabin. He was flung backwards onto his back but he recovered quickly, growling as he ascended again but his attempt ended in the same result.

He focused and breathed in, trying to ignore the stench of Rey’s blood. The faint smell of wolfsbane, a poison to his kind, filled the air and he wondered if somehow old Ben Kenobi had found a way to use it to protect his cabin. No, he was sure it could not work this way alone. The man had found something else, something else to keep his own kind out of the cabin.

Ben was almost proud of the man he was named after. It meant that even if things had taken a turn for the worst and Han ruled that Rey had to be silenced to protect the pack, none of them would have been able to touch her, not when she was in the cabin. But the thought was short lived. She was losing too much blood and he was utterly helpless. He screamed and yelled as he threw himself against the barrier until he could not any longer. His body ached all over.

He fell on his back for the final time and centred himself, clearing his head of all thoughts. He wondered if he could see into her mind. He had never been able to breach it before when she was conscious, working alongside him but he knew she was unconscious; perhaps he could try to see if his stupidly brave girl could be reached.

His head ached at the effort but he let his conscious flow. It moved past the barrier into the house, finding Rey’s mind easily. He shook with the exertion.

_With one final thrust, he penetrated her mind. There was nothing but darkness, blood and whispers. There was water too, a shallow lake of it that ended at his knees. He spun, searching for her. He waded through the icy water into the shadows, screaming her name and found her standing in front of a door, a pale blue light peeking through its cracks._

__

__

_No. She could not leave him, she could not die!_

_He barrelled forward, pleading for her to turn._

_“Rey.”_

_She turned, her hand on the doorknob._

_“Ben,” she smiled._

_He could have died right there and then. He would endure the fires of hell with peace in his heart, all because of that one wondrous smile._

_“Step away from the door. Come with me,” he begged._

_The trance the door held her under was strong, he could sense it. Her hand shook as she gripped the handle, much harder than before. A lone tear rolled down her face._

_Ben offered her his hand, begging her some more with his eyes. Pleading. He could not lose her._

_She bit her bloody plump lip as she hesitated, the whispers behind the door growing louder and louder as they turned into screams but Ben could not understand or decipher a word they said. They were not meant for his ears, he was not wanted here. He was nothing more than an intruder in her mind and whatever force lay behind the door knew it._

_“Please,” he whispered once more, taking a step towards her shaking form. She was a bloodied mess, her flesh ripped and torn but underneath it all, she was Rey, the Rey he wished to call his own, consequences be damned._

_Rey turned fully and walked towards him, wading through the water like a goddess. Her eyes were unsure, nervous but he could tell she wanted to see him. She wanted to touch him._

_She placed her freezing hand in his scorching one. He entwined their fingers making sure he had a firm hold on her, he was terrified that she would slip away, and then he pulled her to him crushing her into his chest._

_They fell._

Ben opened his eyes with a start, sitting straight at the waist as he sat up. He found himself still at the bottom of the cabin’s steps. He was breathing hard, sweating heavily through his brow. 

Despite his exhaustion, he worked his hearing and listened intently to the sounds coming from inside the cabin. 

Rey’s breathing was normal now, steady and even and her heart thumped strong and loud.

He was not sure how or the logistics of her sudden recovery but his heart told him she would survive the night.

She would live. 

And in doing so, so would he.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was really apprehensive about posting this chapter as I felt it wasn’t good.
> 
> Ben/Kylo is such a hard character to write but back to Rey in the next one.
> 
> Thank you for all the support in the first chapter, I was blown away by it all :D


	3. Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey struggles to cope after the fall out of her attack.

_”Rey.”_

She woke up.

The very notion of that particular possibility surprised even her. What had seemed like an impossibility the night before had turned into reality with the new summer morning. She was not dead, no; she hurt too much for that to be true.

Rey decided she was very much alive and conscious of how her head spun with remnants of a dying and fading dream. It was a dream where someone screamed her name like a prayer, a plea and a dream where that person pulled her back from the brink of her impending death. She shook recalling the coldness of the place, a fitting symbol for the end of life. 

Recalling the finer details of the dream was a struggle, no matter how she fought to visualise her saviour’s face or recognise their frantic voice, it withered in her grasp, dissolving into a hazy fog that not even she could wade through.

The only meaningful element she did remember was their warmth, they had physically pulled her from the abyss, the gate of the afterlife and held her with a fierce hold, refusing to let go. They held her like it was for the first and final time consecutively. The blazing warmth of their skin had filled her bones and flesh, heating her cold, corpse like skin and restored the life in her.

If only she could remember. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried again, willing herself back into the dream.

After a few more minutes of fruitless searching, she admitted defeat…for the time being. She huffed out a short frustrated sigh and hit her forehead against the bathtub. Groaning, she cradled her tender head and rubbed small circles into the sensitive skin with her forefingers. It helped. 

The joy of living to see another day was short lived. The pain radiated through her in waves of aches and sharp nipping. It was disorientating and distracting but she was not one to dwell in self-pity, especially not when she had the opportunity to escape such pain and seek medical attention. That was an impossibility the night before. Either she would have crashed her precious car or lost consciousness before she even escaped the woods, leaving her bare and vulnerable to whatever monsters stalked the trees. Seeking help was within her reach now.

The pain was searing and seemingly never ending. It felt as if a car had hit her twice, and then ran her over for good measure. No, she laughed bitterly, tasting the tell tale coppery and salty trace of her blood on her tongue. There was no car accident but a wolf had attacked her and then another, but the two of them were not much smaller than a car so that pretty much explained the comparison she had drawn.

She wished it had been a dream, that she drank too much and her mind concocted some sort of hallucination in her intoxicated state. Perhaps she could have convinced herself of that if her body had not been coated in dirt, sweat and blood. Oh, there was too much blood; she was grimy to the touch with it, she shuddered, repulsed by the clingy mess. It was hard to feel human underneath it all, she felt more like a corpse than Rey Kenobi. 

She ached everywhere, from the tip of her toes where she had accidentally stood in glass, to the top of her tender head, she was on fire and miserably sore. To some extent, she was still recovering from the shock that she had not bled out in the bathtub. The bathtub she had took her first bath in, the one that sat painted with her blood, defiled beyond belief. Some part of her believed this all to be a dream, a cruel, confusing nightmare that she was going to wake up from any moment. 

She never did, this was her new reality. 

It was a struggle to sit up, her right side sustained an overwhelming amount of damage and her body protested every tiny movement. She hissed like a snake burned but she managed to unroot and extract herself from the porcelain prison after five minutes of not so delicate manoeuvrings. 

In the hazy morning light, the modest sized room appeared not as a holiday home’s rarely used bathroom, but instead the scene of a crime. She turned on the startlingly bright overhead light and shielded her eyes for a moment as she acclimatised to the brightness. 

She turned in a tight circle and gasped at the scene that greeted her. The peachy tiles that she and Old Ben had chosen together were covered in blood, the small rug in front of the sink and countertop was wet with her life’s essence, it squelched under her bare feet. The round, creamy white sink was splattered in dried rain pools of vermillion. 

It was straight out of a horror movie and she was the final girl, the survivor. She did not feel like one though. 

A small irrational part of her wanted to stay and clean up the scene. To cleanse the space and her mind and wipe out all memories of the night before. She dropped to her bruised knees and opened the cabinet, clutching the bottle of bleach to her chest, she breathed out hard and fast, her anxiety creeping at the edges of her mind.

She could not let the ordeal taint her place of peace, one of the few links left that she had to her grandfather. A fat tear rolled pitifully down her flushed cheek as the smell of bleach burned her nostrils. She cried because the beloved sanctuary of the cabin no longer felt safe. She sobbed, dropping the bottle and clutched her knees to her chest. She rocked back and forth on her toes, screaming profanities until her throat burned. She was beyond angry, a foreign feeling to the woman who believed such an emotion as a waste of energy, nothing good came from anger but screaming felt right, it felt suited to her situation and it was the only thing that helped her heavy heart.

She cursed the red haired beast that had hurt her so, not just her physical body but peace of mind too. How dare it make her feel like a skittish child afraid of the dark in her own home of all places! It had no right. She would and could not let it win. The fear still lingered but a confidence took its place by its side. She would overcome the terror of the night, heal and move on. She knew it was easier said than done as she furiously scrubbed the tears from her face, her arms still trembling. 

The cabin had protected her for the night she reasoned. The beast easily could have smashed through the door and torn her to shreds whilst she lay unconscious from blood-loss. There was some consolidation in that. She was safe. She wondered if the beast and his companion were still out there just waiting for her, taunting her by letting her live so they could ambush her again. The paranoia consumed her, painted her insides black.

If they were, she was not going to go down without a fight. No, Rey Kenobi had learned much from her grandfather and they would not know what had hit them. Although in his later years Old Ben had achieved an inner peace in which he exuded calm to all those around him, he was a resourceful man. Years in his Special Forces unit had taught him skills that ordinary people were not so inclined to know. Even more years spent living in the wilderness had taught him even more. Rey was thankful that he taught her a great number of things.

Her mind soared with a new resolve, a new way of thinking. She picked up the bleach and tucked it away, deciding to follow what she believed her grandfather would do in her situation. First, she needed to seek medical attention. It was a miracle she did not bleed out but she was not taking any unnecessary risks by prolonging it even further.

Yes, she needed to seek medical attention immediately. She was thankful that she had not unpacked the night before so leaving would be a relatively simple act unless the wolves lay in wait for her.

She stood, groaning at the fresh wave of pain and braced herself on the bathroom counter. Her knuckles were white from the effort. The mirror in the bathroom had always been a focal point of the cabin. It had been where she stood as she blossomed into a young woman, where she scrutinised her naked self. She would huff at her breasts slow but eventual development, it was where she admired how her body toned up as she kept fit and the emerging flair of her curvy hips. 

Now she did not recognise herself, not in the slightest.

The woman in front of her looked well and truly ravaged. Her simple white vest top was dyed crimson, the fabric torn and barely holding its shape. Her shorts did not fare much better. She stepped forward analysing herself further. She expected to see the ravaged claw marks on her right side, the ones deep enough to make her almost bleed out

Instead, she was met with shallow wounds, crusted yellow at the edges as if healing was already fast at work. She frowned, touching one of the claw marks. It was sensitive but not as fresh as it was supposed to be. The healing was far too accelerated. She glared, stripping herself of all clothing, convinced the mirror was somehow suddenly defective.

This could not be. The once wide wounds were nearly closed, the scars around them a pale pink. She raised her hands and made faces at the mirror to make sure it was truly her reflection. The mirror Rey followed her actions with perfection and impeccable timing. A sour tasted formed in her mouth as she gagged then hurled herself at the toilet, her meagre stomach contents then bile filling the bowl. She heaved until nothing else spilled from her lips. She was raw, inside and out.

Had she been unconscious longer than she thought? How long had she lain in that tub? It was certainly an option but the type of healing she witnessed was unprecedented, unnatural. After some time of contemplation, she heaved herself to her feet and gazed once more at the woman in the mirror.

Her face that had been a thunderous black and blue was still in a bruised state but the colours were less vivid, malting into blues, greens and yellow. A sign of healing. Her finger trailed her lips that had been split and bloodied the night before but the flesh was firm with no signs of a tear. The whole ordeal with disorientating. The only thing untouched by the miraculous healing was the savage bite to her forearm. It was red, purple and angry. It spanned the length of her elbow to her wrist with an array of colourful bruises cradling it like a precious child. It stung and burned as she prodded it, it was not as deep as she recalled but it was significant none the less. It would leave a nasty scar, the wolf as black as night had marked her. She was not sure how to feel about that. 

Unusually, she was thankful that it had not healed as rapidly as the lacerations left by the red one’s claws. At least it showed that she was attacked, that the night before was not a dream.

She wrapped the wound in a bandage with special care. There was no getting out of professional medical care for it. At least her tetanus shots were up to date but there was no knowing what kind of diseases the wolves carried.

She stormed out of the bathroom, dug into her bag and dressed in her most loose fitting clothes, some old joggers and an oversized sweatshirt; they were much too heavy for the summer heat. She carried her bag as she walked; wincing at just how painful it was to walk around.

She wanted to leave a note for the housekeeper but she was not sure how to start it.

‘Hello. I was attacked by wolves and collapsed in the bathroom. I didn’t murder someone.’

A croaky chuckle and a shake of the head later, she decided upon messaging Mira instead. She would not expose the woman to the mess of her injuries or the storm she had caused in the room. No, she would tell the woman to take a few weeks off, with pay, and then she would herself clean and scrub the house until all remnants of the attack were gone. That pleased her.

She moved into her room and crawled under the bed, retrieving the lock box nestled in the far corner. She punched in the code and claimed her prize, a heavy weight in shaky hands. The forty four-magnum desert eagle had belonged to her grandfather but she had handled it enough to know how to wield it. She loaded it, tucked a few stray bullets into her deep pockets before leaving the room, and made her way towards the door.

She exited the cabin carefully, eyeing the trees around her as she locked up, half expecting a flurry of noise and the sight of red fur as the beast lunged at her, hoping to finish what it started. She kept the gun in hand, raised as she scanned the area before deciding it was now or never to flee.

She sprinted to the car, not trusting whatever lingered in the woods. As soon as she was strapped into her trusty beetle, she placed the gun in the glove compartment before she floored the gas and did not let up until she hit civilisation. She shuddered as she drove because she swore something had flickered across her rear mirror. A new wave of panic filled her mind. 

When she turned up at the emergency room an hour later, the plump receptionist took one look at her and gawked before ushering her to the back straight away.

Recalling that she did not wash or even attempt to clean herself up apart from a change of clothes, she understood the woman’s reaction. Consciously, she picked at the dry blood that clung to the strands of her hair that hung limply just past her breasts as a nurse rattled off questions and checked her vitals. She was only half-paying attention, suddenly all too aware of all the noise around her. She squeezed her eyes shut and gripped the armrests beneath her until her knuckles whitened and a finger or two cracked in protest.

“We will have to keep you in for the night for observation. A doctor will be along shortly to access your immediate needs,” she caught the last of the nurse’s musings and nodded once.

She did not like the idea of staying overnight but it seemed like an unavoidable feat, there was very little reason to argue against a decision that was solely made in her best interest.

“If at all possible, I would like a private room.”

She nurse nodded, writing something on the sheet attached to the clipboard.

If she was forced to stay the night, she wanted her privacy. She wanted to feel secure and in control, something she had not felt since the attack.

“What kind of animal do you think attacked you?” the nurse asked, her gaze fleeting over Rey’s form.

She gulped. How could she tell them that wolves the size of cars attacked her?

“It all happened so fast and it was terribly dark, I think it could have been a bear or even a wolf. Whatever it was, it was big,” she faked a cry and that was the end of that line of questioning.

The nurse informed her they had contacted animal control and informed them briefly of the incident. 

Her assigned doctor was Dr Mitaka; he was a short pale man with dark hair and tired looking eyes. They brightened when he read over her notes, even more so when they came across the bite that disfigured her forearm. Rey was unsure of his reaction, he appeared almost startled and then fascinated when he first noticed it, he studied it for some time, rapidly taking notes and humming away.

“You aren’t sure what caused this Miss Kenobi?” He asked with a small smile, his eyes meeting hers. His piercing blue eyes locked with her hazel ones, she felt frozen in place and struggled to look away.

Her mouth grew dry. She did not know why but she could not tell the full and honest truth, the pit of her stomach plummeted at the thought of doing so, the world wolf ringing hot in her ears.

“As I told the nurse, it was dark. I was intoxicated and the whole ordeal was over so quickly. A bear, a wolf perhaps. It was big,” she added stiffly, biting her lip. Not just any wolf, it was something else.

“Yes,” he purred, cradling her arm and he pulled it towards him.

“Whatever it was, it was big…their bite spans all the way from your elbow,” he trailed his gloved hand lightly at the crook of her arm, “all the way to your wrist,” he pressed his finger down to her thin wrist, encircling it with his hand. 

She shivered involuntary, even more uncomfortable than before. The act had seemed too intimate and she did not like it. He set to work cleaning the wound and that distracted her well enough; she was glad he remained quiet for the delicate process. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth, the gleam in his eyes never disappeared but she chose to ignore it, it was as if he was biting back a secret but she chose to concentrate on learning how to dress the wound.

She would need to redress it herself over the coming days so it was important she mimicked him. When he left, she let out a breath, happy that the claw marks were going to be treated by a nurse, all they required was a clean and some stitches where the marks were too deep. Her feet were cleaned thoroughly and any glass that had dug its way in her soles was removed with clinical precision.

After hours of suffering through every test imaginable, blood work and countless x rays, she was finally allowed to retreat into her private room, shower and settle into bed.

A nurse helped her shower, which she appreciated, unable to feel any shred of modesty or self-consciousness. She was in pain and did not want to further that by slipping in the shower and breaking her neck. The young nurse was patient and helpful.

Luckily, she was allowed her phone. She decided to email Ben and ask for the next week off citing medical reasons. She never took a sick day so she was nervous. It was short notice and she doubted her request would be accepted but it was worth a try. She was not ready for work; she was too anxious, jittery and emotional. Ben was fair though, she did not go into details of the medical reasons but if he wanted more information she would disclose the whole story if need be.

The idea of him seeing her in her current state bothered her. She was a shell of herself, ruined on the outside with new scars and unstable emotionally if she was being honest with herself. Ben was already out of her league and now she was even lower beneath him. He could never see her the way that she saw him, she would never find out what hid behind his eyes or feel his touch. It was hard to accept. He was her boss, her superior and her thoughts were more than inappropriate and unprofessional but she had never let that bother her before. No, before the attack, she was quietly confident but any trace of her confidence was torn out of her and lost to the darkness.

She turned off her phone with a sigh, unable to wait for his reply.

Once she settled in the plush bed, she fell asleep within seconds, the events of the prior night catching up with her weary form.

All too soon she woke, too warm but otherwise in normal spirits, despite the nagging worry that rooted itself deep in her mind.

She decided to discharge herself. She wanted to recover somewhere familiar and welcoming instead of the clinical setting of the hospital. Dr Mitaka had given her clean dressings to redress the bite on her forearm, the one that spanned from elbow to wrist so she felt prepared and confident she could manage that at home. 

As she dressed, the new doctor on call told her that there was no abnormalities in her initial test results so she was free to go and any more results would be given in the next few days. She thanked the calming woman for all her help and drove home; all the while, she checked her rear mirror frantically, waiting for the shadow to return. 

Nothing appeared out of the ordinary and she made it home without anything popping up.

Rey walked into her house, locking the door as soon as she closed it. She checked it was secure a few times, pulling on the doorknob and clutching the deadbolt. Paranoia was setting in and she knew that, she could feel it seeping into her bones and settling under her skin, bubbling away just below the surface. The disappointment she felt in herself was overwhelming, she was a strong person both mind and body but this had crumbled all her defences, obliterated her high walls with a fortress of fear taking its place. 

Rationally, she knew that the creature would not likely follow her. It was a wild animal, driven by nothing more than hunger or bloodlust but she was supposed to be safe out of the woods yet she had never felt so unsafe in her home before. The beast was likely still in the woods, a little disgruntled at losing its meal but she could not shake the despair from her mind. She wondered if she would ever feel safe again.

After she was satisfied that the door was in fact closed and locked for the day, she  
dumped her bag in her bedroom and changed into some fresh clothes, a vest top and leggings. The fabric of each was soft and not too heavy, which worked best for her considering the heat and pressure on her injuries. Absentmindedly, her fingertips brushed against her left forearm, it was twice the size of her right due to the bundle of bandages and gauze it was wrapped in. 

Yawning, she trodded over to the sofa bringing her purse with her and sat perched on it before reclining into the plush cushions, nestling deeper into the corner section. Dr Mitaka prescribed a short run of painkillers, which she was lucky enough to obtain at the hospital’s pharmacy. She rummaged in her bag and retrieved the bottle. They were strong ones she determined when she read the label but took two as instructed and placed them on the coffee table. 

The room darkened as she sat there, working on keeping her breathing level and even as she waited for the pills to take effect. They did not disappoint and in very little time at all she found herself blissfully weightless, her body no longer constricted with pain. For the first time since the incident, she smiled. Unable to keep her heavy eyes open anymore, she let them drop, pulling a nearby knitted blanket on top of her as she fell asleep.

_She dreamed of the woods, which was hardly surprising._

_She ran, her bare feet hitting wet mud and leaves. She felt that she was running for her life, dressed only in her panties and a white vest top, she ran as if her life depended on it. Stray tree roots and fallen branches tripped her more than once, her limbs grazed and bled but still Rey ran, she was breathing hard and felt winded but she knew stopping meant death…or something worse._

_The full moon was in the sky and something was following her, more than one something. A wolf. A flash of red, a flash of blonde filled her peripheral vision as she stumbled about in the dark. The feeling of being lost terrified her as more and more wolves appeared, cornering her. She stopped, twirling around in a circle._

_Her saviour was not coming this time._

_The crowd parted for a decrepit old man, who openly laughed her, a sickening smile cracking his grey, gaunt face, it was riddled in scars. Rey backed up as much as she could, but she refused to show her fear in front of the strange man, her chin jutted out in defiance and he caught it with his clawed hand and cradled it, his rough nail sliced into her skin as he scanned her features._

_“You will give me everything.”_

_She screamed._

Rey woke screaming, not having the liberty of forgetting her dream like its predecessor. Sweat drenched her shivering body; her hair was slick and clung to her clammy forehead.

A loud banging on her door startled her. She jumped, clutching her injured forearm to her chest. It was burning, not like the dull ache it had been reduced to through treatment and painkillers but a fresh wave of unrelenting heat. Rey hissed over the new sensation and held it tighter to her chest. She tried not to cry but the dream alongside the scorching reminder of her attack meshed together and she bit into her knuckles as tears streamed from her eyes that she had squeezed shut. 

__

__

The knocking stopped and she felt herself relax, her paranoia slipped away for the moment. She stood hesitantly, shuffling along the rug as she eyed the desert eagle in her bag. Against her better judgement, she left it there, she was not one to go swinging a lethal weapon around when she felt so spooked and emotionally fragile. No, she could handle herself in other-ways if the situation called for it; she always kept a cricket bat in the umbrella stand by the door anyway.

Who would be on the other-side of the door? Finn, Poe and Rose were all vacationing in London and nuisance calls were never an issue in her upscale and secluded neighbourhood. She led a quiet life and kept mostly to herself. She tip toed closer to the suddenly imposing door and tried to keep as quiet as her bare-feet would allow. 

Another knock boomed through the home, shocking her once again. Her heart beat against her ribs with a relentless pace. Recovering quickly, she straightened her posture and gazed at the door.

“Rey, I know you are in there. Please open the door,” Ben pleaded.

His voice sent her reeling, she stumbled backwards, the vision of her foggy dream springing to life. She was back in the dark, water sloshing at her thighs, the door with the blue light was in front of her but in the darkness he called for her, he pulled her away from the eerie space. 

He was the saviour, the voice. Ben was the one who brought her back, the crushing warmth was _him._

“Ben,” she whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Our Rey is struggling, who can blame her. I wanted to show that she was vulnerable, this was a vicious attack and she is rightly fearful.
> 
> Lots more to come...I have A LOT planned for these two.
> 
> Please share your thoughts/theories and hopes for this too :D
> 
> I will try to update at least once a week, if not twice. I predict the next one will be up by at least Thursday.


	4. More Fear

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey continues to struggle and Ben refuses to leave her to suffer alone.

Time slowed until it came to a complete standstill. 

The only sounds heard were the rushing of her blood, throbbing incessantly in her ears and the thump of her heart as it fluttered against her rib cage. It was such an overreaction to his voice but it was not uncommon. His voice did things to her…captivated and conquered her with only a whisper. 

It had been but a dream, she was fairly certain of that but it had felt inconceivably real. She remembered how the heat of his skin warmed her own, so palpable she could almost taste it. He had been so worried, that much was clear by the way he begged and pleaded for her to turn from the door, the scent of decay filtered out from it but still, he made her walk away from it. In the water, they embraced, falling into nothing. She had never felt so grounded, so loved. 

The greed she felt was unusual, she wanted more, she wanted all her beautiful saviour could offer.

“Ben,” Rey whispered again, disbelief filling her. He was here for her, just when she needed him the most. 

An ethereal energy flew threw her as she thought about seeing him again, this time in person, all of his glorious self. 

Almost if he had heard her, despite the distance between them, he knocked again, much quieter than before, a hushed plea, an almost silent appeal to her. It grabbed at her heart, holding on to it with both desperation and a gentleness. 

Wrapping her sore, heavy arms around her chest she hugged herself, breathing hard as she slowly walked towards the ornate wooden door, it was locked up tight.

As to appease the incredible longing she felt, she pressed herself across its surface, her hand sprawled near the doorknob. Leaning into the wood, she squeezed her eyes shut tightly, listening for him. From her position behind the door, she could faintly hear his ragged breaths. He sounded animalistic and less like a man. It was odd to hear but strangely fascinating, he was clearly not leaving her, for the first time in her life someone had refused to leave her. 

Curious to what had him pent up she listened again. He was pacing on her porch, the clicks of heeled shoes filling the silence. Despite the object between them, his anxiety and frustration hit her like waves; it was much like her own. She struggled to stay still in a world that was constantly moving and apparently, Ben did too. The familiarity and similarity of it all was comforting. 

She wanted to see him but there was something inside her that did not. Was it pride? Vanity? Rey liked to think it was not that. Any other day, the idea of Ben Solo standing at her door, begging for entrance would have melted her into ruin. Too many times she had imagined dragging him into her house, her hands tight around his tie as she lead him inwards and steered him towards her bedroom. Now, she struggled like a coward hiding behind a door. The idea of him knowing she was inside and choosing to evade him was crushing her. 

It was not shame that stopped her from tearing down the last thing between them. How could she be ashamed of her new collection of scars or the wounds that enveloped her skin? She was a survivor even if she did not feel worthy of the title, no, she was not ready to see him, not whilst she was struggling to hold herself together. The psychological damage was enough for her to question even Ben’s intentions. 

She was a survivor though; she walked out of the woods in one piece, something that should not have been possible. The red beast had nearly torn her to shreds, defiled her with his marks and shook her beyond comprehension. Lucky was an understatement but she begrudged the title, lucky was far from how she felt. Unlucky was the new reality, unlucky that she lived and could not appreciate how special or remarkable that was, unlucky that she was suffering and her mind was struggling to keep itself together. 

One day she hoped to earn the title of survivor, where she could embrace her new appearance and wear it like an armour but she could not until her mind was sound again, that would take much longer to heal. She hoped that the journey would not be as long or as miserable as she felt; hiding from the person, she had fallen in love with over the years. The act of doing so was shameful; it felt wrong to hide from him, even if he did not know of her feelings toward him. Her heart hoped that in some way, he felt something more towards her. Perhaps when she was whole again she would muster the courage to show him how she felt. 

Until then, the scars, the wounds and marks were very real reminders of what she had endured, something she wanted to dim and forget about. She wanted to tuck the night into a neat little box, hide away in the depths of her mind, and keep the dream for her pleasure. Yes, she wanted to revisit that dream again and wake up every morning with the memory of falling in Ben’s arms at the forefront of her mind. The ugly truth was that it could not be erased so easily, no matter how much she yearned for it.

Ben knew her as a confident woman, a woman who carried strength even in the darkest times. That woman seemed across the universe now, what was left was the shell of that woman, someone else living in her shadow and she did not want Ben to see what was left behind. She did not want him to see her high walls crumbling and her defences strewn across the woods she escaped from. Her very soul was lost, split open and drowning in fear and loss of confidence.

She wondered if her appearance would shock him. The nightmare had left her hair drenched, wet with sweat. It hung limply well past her breasts, just above her waist so it was quite a sight, she usually maintained her hair in intricate braids or let her natural waves flow freely. It was a stark contrast to her current grim look. She was the image of broken. 

She knew from her inspection in the mirror earlier that her face was something of a mess. The tawny skin she was oddly proud of, usually kissed by the sun, had lost its entire glow. Colourful bruising, much more like a mosaic than skin, thoroughly covered her face in vivid reds and purples with splashes of yellow and green. The bruises lit up the expanse of skin, trailing from her neck and jaw, settling under her eye and cheekbones. Her forehead was swollen in places.

The baggy vest top did little to cover the claw marks, although they were still healing, they appeared very out of place on her body, pink and red against a healthy gold. They stood out, rising from her rib cage and wrapping around her arms before settling around her shoulders like a sickly embrace. She shivered when she realised how close the wolf had come to slicing her neck, she would not have survived such a wound. Maybe that would have been better than living. 

She cursed herself for thinking such a horrible thing. 

Lost in thinking, she almost forgot about the burning sensation in her forearm. Although the bite was heavily bandaged and treated, it burned incessantly like prickly heat, worse now that she was so close to Ben. Wondering what it meant, she opened her eyes and clutched the limb to her chest, biting her lip to ward off any tears.

Waiting for Ben to leave was something of an odd experience. She wanted to leave and she wanted him to stay. Despite her paranoia and fear of the outdoors, her mind whispered for her to open the door and let him in. Her mind told her that he was a protector and that he would save her from anything lying in wait for her.

_‘An alpha is the finest protector on the planet’ her mind’s voice hissed, urging her to comply and let him enter._

She reeled at the words. She knew them to be true. Alphas were the finest specimens in society, natural leaders and the very best of evolution. They were naturally stronger, taller, succeeding in whatever they pursued. Their strength was legendary. Ben had been born to lead, succeed and protect if necessary, it was in his bones, blood and heart. It was in the very fabric of his being. She wondered if it was his instincts that brought him to her. 

Rey knew Ben was an alpha. He had never disclosed it to her but it was plain to anyone who took the time to look at him, really look at him.

He was taller than most males in society, broader than anyone she had ever come across but it was the way he carried himself in difficult situations that made her realise what he was. In most everyday work situations he was quiet, meek almost and reserved but when people challenged him, argued against his well thought out arguments, he would rise up, standing tall and speak with such an authority, it both chilled and thrilled her. It was normally Hux who agitated him but they were old friends and Ben never held it against him.

She would sometimes muse that Ben liked the healthy competition, she liked to think it stirred his alpha instincts to life, giving her a glimpse of the real man behind the one he portrayed himself to me. She dreamed of seeing him come undone and unleashed and all just for her. 

He excelled at almost everything he pursued. His mind was brilliant and sometimes she found herself envying him whenever she watched him, he seemed so in tune with the world. He could wade through fire or swim in the deepest oceans she would tell herself, even if it were untrue. To her, Ben could do anything, be anything. Maybe he could be hers. It seemed like an impossible daydream. 

Ben was not her alpha though. She was a mere beta, the lowest ranking in society. Betas were unremarkable in almost everything and not driven by the same primal needs that alphas were or even the rare omega, an anomaly seemingly lost to time, leaving the alphas without their true counterpart, the only other being that equaled an alpha’s strength, they submitted to them and lost themselves in mating. 

They had disappeared though and Rey mourned for Ben, she always presumed he would live a life alone. He struck her as someone who wanted more, someone to share the world with. He was not born to walk alone she could feel it. 

Marriages between an alpha and beta were not of unheard of but they tended to result in the most divorces, ninety percent to be exact, leaving the two marked with a mate they did not want for the rest of their lives as they continued to live in separation. Rey absentmindedly touch her neck, above her sweat gland. Some day she hoped the skin would be marked for all to see. 

Betas tended to marry amongst themselves but the romances were hardly passion or mate driven, more out of need for a companion. Rey smiled when she thought of Rose, Poe and Finn…they were all betas like herself and a throuple. They were a lovely exception to the passion rule, she groaned thinking about the times she had accidentally caught them in acts of carnal passion when they all lived together in their college years. She had wanted to pull out her eyes the first time she caught them all. 

Some believed Betas could hardly feel at all or deeply enough to even come close to mimic the love of an alpha or omega but in her heart, she knew that was a lie. She felt everything, sometimes too deeply. Her love for her late grandfather was rivalled by that of the fierce love she felt for her friends. She loved dearly, throwing herself head first into it. The love she felt for Ben was something else, it anchored her to the world, and his presence was enough to make her forget her own name sometimes. It felt right. 

“Open the door,” Ben’s voice seemed to lower an octave as he enunciated each word carefully.

As if she could deny him, she could not even stop herself from obeying him in her own dreams, a place where the control lay solely with her. 

Rey struggled against the order. She did not want him to see her in her current state. It went against every fibre in her body to deny him. 

Against her own will, her limbs moved on their own accord, working to obey his order. She fought against it, gritting her teeth and scrunching her face as she watched her hands like a spectator in her own body first turn the deadbolt and then the key. Her heart raced in anticipation as her phantom fingers turned the doorknob and swung the heavy wooden door open. What had just happened? Could the drugs have caused some outer body experience with her? What this Ben’s doing, an alpha trait, something beyond understanding?

Ben stood tense in the doorway, his wide pale hands gripping the edge of the doorframe as he took in her appearance. His chest heaved up and down as he scrutinised her injuries, she could feel his gaze hot on her skin as she eyed his shoes, unable to face his flaming eyes again. She would surely lose herself completely if she did. The bite on her forearm, although heavily bandaged ached and burned worse than it had ever before. She hissed, clutching it to her chest.

She was in control again of her body’s movements again it seemed.

Ben had always appeared outwardly smart looking, always impeccably dressed, there was nothing out of the ordinary about him, most people would not notice the small differences in him but Rey did. She had memorised everything about him from her years of working under him. The skin under his eyes was ragged and purple like he had not slept in a week. His clothes, although expensive and fine looked as if they had been thrown on, his dress shirt crumpled and missing his tie. His sharp jaw was not clean shaven, something he was usually strict about. He was dishevelled, at least to her fine eyes.

His jaw quivered when he locked upon the claw marks, she consciously placed her hair over them, trying to shield them from him. He frowned, not liking the idea of her hiding herself. 

His shoulders drooped as he stepped in, locking the door behind him. When he turned his eyes lost their fire, it was replaced by something else. She scrutinised him carefully, deciphering what it was. Ben was an open book when he wanted to be and he was open, allowing her to read him.

His adam’s apple bobbed a few times, words caught and locked in his throat. Although his features had softened, she felt his restlessness, his unease. 

“You’re worried about me,” she gasped sensing his distress, stepping toward him.

“How can I not be…I received your email and I was worried sick. I never expected you to be this hurt,” Ben spoke lowly; he closed the distance between them.

Rey, unable to hold back anything anymore sobbed, her shoulders shaking.

“I have never been so scared in my life,” she confessed, her walls crumbled around her, leaving nothing but dust in their wake. The effect he had on her was profound. 

Without hesitation, he pulled her into his chest, much like he had in her dream. His hands swallowed her waist and she encircled his own thick waist, bunching and then tugging the fabric of his shirt in her fists as she shook, struggling to stay calm.

He was as warm as he was in the dream it was her only comfort. 

“You will always be safe with me,” he whispered into her hair, one hand trailed the length of her spine, his fingertips dancing along her skin.

“You saved me, it was you,” Rey mumbled in-between tears.

He froze but did not say anything. He did not question it so Rey did not disclose what she meant by such words or explain the dream. She clung to him nestling closer into his chest, breathing in his scent. He smelled of firewood and rain, it was intoxicating, it was everything she needed, it anchored her to the earth, it was addictive.

She told him about the attack, unable to stop the words and her confession from falling out of her mouth and he did not interrupt her once. She needed to share her experience with someone, she needed to get it out of her mind and into the open air, hoping she would not absorb it all back in. At times, she fumbled over her words or a panic would swell in her chest as flashbacks filled her mind but Ben listened intently, rubbing soothing circles into her back.

She was not sure how long they stood there but in time, it was the safest she had ever felt since the attack. No longer afraid of monsters in the shadows, she relaxed into him until she could not cry any longer. He rocked her, smoothing the tangles from her sweat-laced hair as if it was the most natural thing in the world to him, she liked to think it was. 

In that moment he was not her boss, he was the man she had wanted for years, the one she had fallen in love with. It was fate; fate had to have brought him to her she thought. 

“You are going to be okay, you will get through this,” he murmured.

She believed him. She believed every word that came out of his mouth, she drank it up and let it sink into her consciousness and anything beyond that.

Her mind was at ease, it told her she was safe, that Ben was a protector and that he would protect her. She wanted to believe it and preach it like a priest did the bible. 

“Let’s get you to bed,” Ben said sometime later, sweeping her up into his arms bridal style. 

The comfort she felt at being wrapped up against his body was out of this world. She found herself being unable to protest such a bold move, not that she wanted too. She was exhausted, dead on her feet. The idea of being so vulnerable in front of him never crossed her mind, she was home.

x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x.x

It was both beautiful and heartbreaking to finally set his eyes upon Rey. The weekend had been torture, he had been stuck outside the cabin during the night of the attack but he never left, not until she escaped in her car as he watched her. By that time he was already half crazed, wallowing in self hatred.

When she woke, she screamed and his heart lurched, his mind screaming at him to wrap her into his arms and not let go. Her screaming and profanities had turned into desperate, hysterical sobbing and that cut much worse, her cries would surely haunt him. He had never felt so helpless so worthless or worthy of being in her life. He would carry those cries with him until his dying day.

He had driven himself mad, following her car until she made it through the woods, until he was certain she was safe. Even whilst she lay in hospital, he lingered outside, having followed her scent. He felt like a guard dog and he would gladly own the title if it meant that he could be sworn in as her protector. Even in his sleep-deprived state, he glared at anyone he deemed threatening. It was a difficult night.

Receiving her email was a surprise but it worried him even more and only heightened his urge to see her. Of course, he had tried to call her but she had turned her phone off and he grew frantic. He needed to hear her voice. His sweet Rey was more concerned about work than her own recovery and it reminded him of how selfless she was. He would not let her back to work, not until she healed anyway, he hated the idea of her carrying her wounded body around as she worked underneath him. It was not right; he would never let her work again if it meant she could recover properly. 

When he first saw the damage inflicted upon her, he had to resist the urge of emptying his stomach contents at her feet. His Rey shone through despite her fear, she was obviously shaken, and the light behind her eyes was dim and flickering but a spark remained. He hoped in time he could ignite it for her.

She was covered in markings and bruisings and he clenched his jaw, trying not to growl in front of her. Hux’s claws had left crude scars but there was an oddity. He thought the wounds had been far deeper but they were healing well, they must have been shallow he told himself. Her left forearm was bandaged almost twice the size of her right, he figured that Hux had clawed deeper there and again he damned his father for making him stop his attack on him. He would kill him if he touched her again, that much he knew.

When she mentioned that he had saved her, his heart stopped. Had she remembered him pulling her back from the light? A part of him hoped so, it would seem like a dream to her and he would play the unknowing party…for now.

Ben carried her close to him, enjoying the feel of her close to his skin more than he would admit. He snuck glances down at her and found her struggling to keep her eyes open as he walked through her clean, spacious home. He managed the stairs carefully even though he had no fear of dropping her, he did not want to jostle her. By that time, she had fallen asleep. He had no doubt it was the mixture of the horrific events catching up to her and something else, he sniffed the air and caught the distinct trace of a chemical residue flooding her veins. 

He nodded, realising she was prescribed painkillers. His stomach churned at the idea of her being in pain but he pushed it aside and focused on the task in hand.

Whilst he had never been in her home, he found his way easily to the bedroom following familiar and tell tale scents. He opened the door carefully, thankful it did not creak.

Her room was a good size, a giant bed in the middle of the room. Smiling, he found himself liking the idea of someone as small as Rey owning such a bed. Surely, she would take up very little space. Cradling her to him one final time, he squeezed her softly and lowered her onto the plush mattress, underneath the soft blankets. He tucked her in and decided it best to leave, no matter how his mind screamed at him to gather her up again and never let go. He did not want to scare her by being there when she woke up; she deserved some peace of mind. It killed him. He would light the world on fire if it meant he could hold her and never let go. 

_‘Protect her, claim her as your own’ his mind screamed._

He shook trying to drive the idea out of his mind. Despite Rey being all he wanted in the world, he would not shackle her to him. He would not let her share his burdens or brunt the load that came with being a werewolf. She had went through enough and the idea of her having to relive her attack by seeing him in his wolf form struck deep in him. She was damaged; he would not be the one to push her over the edge, no matter how much it made him bitter to even entertain the idea of distancing himself from her. It was unnatural to him. 

_She was the sun and him the moon, distant lovers, destined to miss each other time and time again._

He allowed himself some pleasure though; he caressed her sleeping face in the palm of his hand, ghosting her freckles that shone through the bruising with care. With a new sense of nervousness and hope, he leaned down and kissed her forehead, his lips lingering on her bruised temple. Her skin was cool against his heated one, they were a beautiful contrast, and she tasted like the earth, sun and an ocean. She was made for him. Rey moaned in her sleep, warming his heart even more.

She did not stir. He told himself that it was because even in unconsciousness she knew he was not a danger to her. He would die protecting her. He would never let anyone harm her again, not whilst his heart beat. 

However, he could be dangerous. He could tear her apart if she got too close to him in the ropes of rage. Biting down on his lip he seethed, his nostrils flaring. His dream was but a dream, he could not have her. 

No, he would never hurt her, Kylo would not either, and his inner wolf loved her in a different way, awakening the primal urges in him.

With one final glance, he moved away from her, trying to find the strength to make his way home. Leaving her would be his greatest test. 

“Please don’t leave, stay awhile…please… my alpha,” Rey murmured, half asleep, laying on her side.

As if he could deny her.

He gasped at her words, even if she was dreaming she wanted him. 

A thrill of heat shot through him, stilling him instantly. His cock stirred at the sound of Rey calling him her alpha. It was purely primal and he turned, moving toward her again. She had opened up a space for him to lay with her and she was well on her way to being asleep again. Her breathing was evening out.

He lowered himself onto the bed and like a magnet, Rey shuffled closer to him, wrapping her leg across his hips leaving a searing trail of heat in its place. They fit perfectly together, something he had dreamed of. He breathed out through his nose, an attempt to calm his instincts.

She lay her head upon his chest right above his racing heart; he gathered his arm around her exposed shoulder and drew her closer. He would give himself this night, she wanted him here and he could not fight it. Indulging himself was something almost foreign to him, in his human form he fought against his alpha instincts; they made it difficult to blend into society at times. 

He could not sleep, despite his exhaustion. He would leave before she woke, unsure if she truly wanted to wake up wrapped around him. Feeling her Kenobi pendant through the fabric of his trousers, he decided before he left he would tuck it away in her bag and hope that she had not noticed its absence. 

He replayed the memory of Rey calling him her alpha. It did things to him. It awoke the beast and inner animal within him. She was a human beta, him both human and a wolf, an alpha. Their circumstances could not be anymore conflicting if he tried but he wanted her and he felt that she wanted him, he could not read her mind, a rare occurrence it seemed, but he could feel it, rolling off her in waves. All these years, he had been blind not to see it…when she looked at him it was desire she felt. 

She had looked at him a lot over the years.

Desire was something he never expected she could even feel towards him.

A new resolve rose in him.

Ben wanted to be her Alpha and he would find a way to be just that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote 5 different versions of this chapter...all spanning 4K+ words each.
> 
> None of them seemed good enough. In 3/5 of them Rey did not open the door. I hope I chose wisely.
> 
> Our Rey is hurting but she has taken the first step in healing.
> 
> Please share your thoughts/theories or things you hope to see.
> 
> Lots more to come...trouble ahead.


	5. Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey notices changes and a familiar face brings up memories best forgotten.

A week had passed since the attack.

Rey stood nude in front of her bathroom mirror, both body and mind bared naked before her eyes as she examined the reflection in front of her. It was she who stood before the gleaming surface but in ways, it was not. 

She almost did not recognise herself.

She had taken to covering herself despite the humidity and summer heat; she was not quite sure why she did so if she was being honest. The human body was something Rey had come to admire since she was a young girl. Everyone was made up of flesh and bone yet no one looked the same, it fascinated her. She enjoyed being naked, it made her feel a sense of freedom that could not be rivalled, it was natural and right. 

As she grew, she did not appreciate her changing body as she should have. She had always been skinny, little all over, but in time, she grew to love her tiny frame, enjoy the small swell of her breasts, lithe limbs and the long legs that carried her through life. 

The woman in front of her was different, undoubtedly entirely her but something that was _not._ The scars were new of course, they had all but blended into her golden skin in stripes of white, something she marvelled over and questioned daily. Oddly, she did not hate the scars, they were a part of her now but it was still difficult to look at them. Perhaps that is why she took to covering herself in clothes much too big for her form. The healing of the lacerations was unnatural, she was sure of that. However, her sharp eyes tuned into the finer differences on her body, her once blank canvas.

For one, she was sure she had gained weight. This would not have bothered her, she had always been on the small side and had worked for years to gain weight so she could achieve a fuller figure but it never seemed to catch on. She was much too active and genetically disposed to keep the weight off. Sometimes it frustrated her; she was all bone and muscle but not now. 

No, the weight gain was suspicious because despite Ben’s nightly visits with armfuls of food, something she had been both delighted and curious about, she had not been eating regularly. The loss of appetite was normal after such an ordeal if google was to be believed. Therefore, the weight gain made very little sense. 

She frowned and pinched her hip. It seemed fleshier. She had never been a curvy woman, her physique was much more athletic, her waist had never quite bunched in, and her hips never flared out in a beautiful curve like some females. Yet now it did. Her waist was pinched in and the flair of her hips was prominent, all the while, her stomach remained taut and flat, her rigorous exercise routine plain as day. Even her breasts seemed heavier, more shapely if only by a little bit. She tested the weight of her flesh in her palm. Definitely heavier.

Her body seemed like it had been tweaked, all of her attributes enhanced in some way. Her upper arms and calfs had taken on new muscle, her limbs much more toned. She looked healthy. No longer was she the girl who was too skinny, too boyish and lacking feminine curves. A refined woman stood in her place. 

She twirled, turning her head and blushed when she eyed her ass. It was firmer, rounder and free of any cellulite. It made no sense; she had skipped exercising for the week allowing her body to heal and she had hardly eaten. It was illogical and bothered her to no end, even if she admittedly liked the changes before her.

Grumbling to herself, she readied herself on the marble counter and peered at her face. She appeared as exhausted as she felt. Her eyes were puffy, dark velvet circles settled under her eyes. Leaning forward she gazed at herself until her nose touched the cold glass. 

She was not the same. Her skin had been an envy of her friends, Rose suffered terribly with acne as a teen and whilst Rey sympathised, she never understood her friends’ suffering. Rey sported the odd blemish from time to time, which ended with a few little scars, but there was no faults in her dewy skin to be seen now.

She was positively glowing despite her tiredness and she was admittedly thrown. Even her hair felt thicker, healthier despite her not having found the energy or motivation to wash it in days.

It was all too surreal, the attack had changed her somehow and she could not understand how. The scars were both marred deep into her flesh and mind. She screamed, frustrated and without thinking, threw her fist into the mirror with all the force she could muster. It cracked beneath her knuckles, shredding the thin, tender flesh.

It shattered instantly, falling to bits at her feet. Pieces flew in all directions but she could not find it in herself to care. The destruction had felt good. The pain had soothed her wondering mind. She clutched her hand to her chest, knuckles torn, bloodied, and moved away from the sink. She had had enough. Nothing seemed real anymore, nothing made sense and it frightened her, confused her terribly.

She moved towards the clawfoot bath at the other-side of the room, careful not to step in any of the shards and turned the tap. A bath would soothe her she hoped, as the blood flowed down her fingers and wrist, settling on her forearm and the tiled floor beneath her. It dripped endlessly as the adrenaline started to retreat from her veins, her heart fluttering but she could not find it in herself to feel the pain.  
Destructive tendencies, anger and loss of control were almost foreign concepts to Rey. Throughout her life, no matter the hardships, she carried herself with a sense of calm and mindfulness. That all seemed to dissipate the moment she was attacked. Her mood had been chaotic, up and down, side to side. She was floating in a swirl of emotions, thrown from one to another without a seconds notice. She wondered if she was losing her mind. Either that or she was losing a part of herself, chewed and torn up by the wolves that had attacked her. 

Once the tub was sufficiently filled, she lowered herself into the scorching water. It reddened her skin but she sunk lower and floated, only her head remaining above the feverishly hot surface. She hissed when the heat met the open flesh of her knuckles. Swirls of floating crimson accumulated around her face as she lay there, counting the seconds that passed. She felt more like herself, the opposite of the raging, impulsive woman she had been only minutes before, the woman who smashed a mirror without a thought of reason. 

Rey liked the feeling of weightlessness that the water offered; she saw it as a gift of comfort, something she was in desperate need of. Soon she found herself reeling back into her body and she crumpled, sitting up. Water splashed over the sides of the porcelain tub as she hugged her knees to her chest and settled her chin upon them. She felt so little, so unsure but somewhere inside of her was the strong Rey Kenobi, the one she thought had disappeared into the darkness of the woods, the one she shed and left behind. 

She clung to her, absorbing and feeling her strength. A fighter since day one, she would not be snuffed out like this. Change was needed. 

She had spent enough time wallowing in self-pity and fear. She was tired of it. Tired of feeling like a prisoner in her own home and mind. She would leave the house, even if it killed her and she would try to accustom herself back into something that resembled a routine. Vowing not to spend another day longer in bed, curled up like a child, she smiled. Perhaps she was not as shit of a Kenobi as she thought she was. 

Dr Mitaka had scheduled another appointment for a tetanus update shot. She groaned, thinking of the odd little man. His attitude, his fascination with her bite had troubled her but more so than not, it sent a message of unease, she did not feel entirely safe around him and she would trust that gut instinct. 

The way he reacted to her bite was unusual, it had not been normal she ascertained. The claw marks were nothing but scars, her seemingly new power of excessive healing had made sure work of those but the bite was something else, an enigma.

She dunked her left hand back into the water and brought it back out again. The bite had healed to some extent. It was no longer red, purple and angry, cradled by bruises. No, it had settled significantly and no longer needed a bandage; she covered it with clothes during the past week despite the warmth. It was an oddity. She dragged her fingertip into the teeth’s indentions; it tingled and warmed under the new contact. It no longer hurt but the burning sensation still plagued her. She had noticed a pattern for its emergence and she hated to think what it could mean.

It only burned when she was around Ben and because of his daily visits; it meant that it happened a lot. More times than not, she found herself trying to stave away the pain with painkillers but they did not touch the flames, not even a lick. 

Rey was baffled the night after Ben first appeared and carried her to bed. She did not expect him to turn up the following day with enough food to feed a small army and a beaming smile on his face. 

She flushed just thinking of his plump lips, begging to be kissed. She thought of them on her bite and imagined it would soothe it, cure whatever ailed her and leave her a trembling mess under his mercy in doing so. 

He had told her to take as much time off work as she deemed necessary. She had told him that she only needed a week but he didn’t seem to buy it, not when she was jittery just answering the door or jumping out of her skin when she heard the neighbour’s dog bark.

She enjoyed his visits though; it was something to look forward to in her cycle of anxiety and boredom. She anticipated his appearance every night but it did nothing to calm her heart at the sight of him, him physically being in her home, her sacred place. Whenever he left, she could smell him in her place and she relished at such an idea, his alpha pheromones sent her head spinning in a way she had never experienced before but she would fall asleep, a smile on her face, his name on her lips. 

Spending time with him outside the work place seemed like a dream; it felt like she was getting to know the real Ben and she found herself loving him even more. It was all so domestic, him sprawled out on her couch as she lay down, her legs laying across his lap. He always found a way to touch her, one night he massaged her calves and feet, his long fingers worked them expertly. She blushed thinking of the dirty groans that escaped her. Ben seemed to love it but she did not make assumptions about his feelings towards her. Perhaps the nurturing was something he felt inclined to do, as alphas were known for that. They lived to protect and lead. She was not complaining she would play the part of being his; all the while wishing it was true. 

Dipping under the surface, she dunked her head and reached for the shampoo. It was one with a floral scent, rose, and she made quick work of scrubbing a week’s worth of grime out of her chestnut locks.

Admittedly, it felt wonderful and she cursed herself for not doing so earlier. She had mostly spent the week curled up in bed, sleeping the day away until Ben arrived.

She did the same for her body, scrubbing herself with the bar of soap until her skin was shiny and squeaky clean. She nosed her pits just to make sure she was thoroughly clean and was relieved her work was nearly done.

After draining the tub, she padded into her bedroom and chose some loose fitting clothes. She wanted as much skin covered as possible, even more so at the idea of seeing the doctor again. She shivered.

After today, she would never have to seem again and that was enough to somewhat calm her. It pleased her.

She pulled on a flowy emerald maxi skirt that trailed down to her ankles. She was happy to find something appropriate for the weather. She accompanied it with one of her favourite black camisoles and covered her arms with a lightweight cardigan. She would regret it later but she did not like the idea of the odd doctor leering at her bite mark.

Slipping into some pumps, she gathered her bag and flung it around her shoulder, deciding to let her hair dry naturally into her custom waves.

“You can do this,” she whispered to herself.

She walked to the door, her anxiety spiking. She worked to squash it, thinking of all the times she had left the house and made it home safe. She breathed in deeply and did not exhale until she was outside. The sun beat down on her but she welcomed the warmth, it reminded her so much of Ben.

The first thing she noticed was how much louder everything seemed and how clear everything was. Her vision was close to perfect already but this was something else.

She put it down to the effects of her anxiety or the fact that she had been holed up away from the world and had forgotten how loud, and clear everything actually was.

She settled in her beloved beetle and gripped the steering wheel. Her eyes settled on her knuckles and nausea swept over her. This was not something she could explain with a half-assed excuse. It would not be ignored.

They were no longer torn open. The only remnant left of the damage she had caused herself were small red bruises, circular in shape that coloured each knuckle like dusky paint. 

Disbelieving she prodded the skin, a small panic setting in. 

“What is happening to me?” She groaned, dropping her head into her hands. Had she imagined destroying the mirror? No, that does not explain the bruises. 

Unable to think of the possibilities without the concept that she may lose her mind, she cleared her head and went about the task of driving. It was muscle memory at that point, she could drive mindlessly and she needed not to think. She was hiding from the inevitable she knew but she was biding her time. She was not quite ready to confront everything that was happening to her. The escapism was temporary though. 

The drive to the hospital took less than twenty minutes. The roads were clear with it being mid-morning; most of the population was already either at work or school so she soared down the roads, drumming her fingers on the steering wheel.

She was extra observant, checking her rear view mirror more than was needed; perhaps she was expecting to see another shape in it. The sounds of Marina and the Diamonds filled the small space and she blasted the songs, attempting to numb her mind from everything but the lyrics. It worked. When ‘Obsessions’ began to play she sang aloud, even smiling as she moved in time with the familiar beat. It was a lovely distraction.

All too soon, she pulled up to the hospital. The waiting room was stuffy, stifling and one man in the corner had not stopped coughing since she arrived. It grated her brain. Her erratic mood swings returned with a new vigour. She was inexplicably angry with the man, the noise seemed to fill her ears and she could see every tiny bit of saliva that flew out of his lips. Repulsed, she struggled to reign in her temper.

She was a mess. She had not been this emotionally unstable since puberty. Her mood was all over the place and she hated it. It only fuelled her apprehension about seeing Dr Mitaka again, a heavy weight in her stomach.

Luckily and not so luckily, her name was called and she all but sprinted to the nurse and followed her to Dr Mitaka’s clinic room. The sooner she could leave the better. 

He stood to greet Rey, grinning wide at the sight of her. She had no doubt that to some it would be considered a charming, nice gesture but it was not to Rey. It made her skin crawl. There was something wrong with this man, something not quite right behind his piercing blue eyes.

Goosebumps pebbled her skin as the nurse left the room, closing the door behind her. Rey could not help but jump at the sound, it was louder than she imagined, Dr Mitaka noticed, his smile grew wider.

“Please take a seat on the examination table. You will be glad to hear that nothing too unfound came of your results,” he gestured to the sleek, black table, covered by a thin sheet on paper.

Rey nodded and settled perched on the end of it, back ramrod straight. Her throat felt dry so she gulped a few times as he advanced upon her, clipboard in hand.

“Yes everything came back normal but you do need a new tetanus shot as your prior one is due to expire. No problems with needles I hope?” He asked, writing something on the paper.

She shook her head, no.

“Then we shall get straight to it Miss Kenobi. Please uncover your left arm.”

Rey gritted her teeth. Of course it would be that arm. She huffed and hesitated for a moment before pulling her arm out of the sleeve of the cardigan.

Dr Mitaka peered at the forearm, the bite still an intimidating feature. He pulled on his pristine white gloves with a loud snap and held her wrist like he had before.

“It is healing nicely, perhaps a little slowly but it is clean. What a scar it will leave though,” he mused, his index finger prodded around the bite.

She did not like him touching it, it felt wrong somehow.

“I don’t mind,” she said honestly.

The scar would serve as a reminder of her survival, it would tell a story of a point in her life, no matter it being one she would rather forget.

The doctor dropped her arm and gathered up his tools. She watched as the needle plunged into a vial and he retracted the vaccine.

With his thumb and forefinger he gathered the skin of her upper arm and squeezed, pushing it together,

“You’ll feel a small scratch,” he murmured, plunging the needle into the skin.

Rey groaned as memories flooded her system.

_“Please grandfather, I don’t want another injection!” She cried, near hysterical._

_She was ten years old and settled in Ben Kenobi’s arms. The monthly injections were something she always dreaded, something pushed into the dark corners of her mind. She was desperate, clinging to her grandfather with strength surprising for her age._

_He kissed her hair and hugged her to him as he pushed the needle into her arm. It felt like a betrayal._

_As soon as he did, the burning began, it burned her from the inside out, like a toxin in her veins, and it coursed throughout her system leaving a burning trail in its wake._

_“This will help you. One day I will explain it all. But we need to do this, it is in your best interests,” Old Ben soothed, tears filling his eyes. He did not like doing this to her, that much she believed._

_Rey convulsed in jerky movements, eyes rolling in the back of her head. Ben held her as best as he could as the seizure took hold of her body; it was agony for both parties._

Rey gasped as Dr Mitaka removed the needle and cleaned the injection site.

She had _forgotten_ about the injections.

“Miss Kenobi I am sensing a great deal of anxiety from you. I am going to write a script for Valium. You do not have to take it but I think it will help if you continue to feel too anxious or suffer panic attacks.”

Had she just had a panic attack?

She sucked in lungfuls of air and readied herself on the table by firmly planting both hands at her side.

“I also think therapy would be a good option for you. Survivors of attacks can often feel overwhelmed. I work with a highly esteemed psychiatrist, I will give you his card,” he added as he wrote her script.

Rey just nodded numbly.

Perhaps therapy was something she should consider, especially with the reemergence of the hidden memories. She shook her head, her grandfather never did explain the injections but they had stopped when she turned eighteen, something that brought her great relief.

Her limbs tingled when she recalled the seizures. The convulsions were nothing short of excruciating. The fire in her body was not unalike the fire she felt with her bite. It had to mean something.

Dr Mitaka stood and handed her the script and business card. Not wanting to spend any more time in the room, she thanked him and left, feeling his eyes on her as she exited. He pocketed a copy of her blood results and whistled a tune.

Bursting outside was a relief, she breathed in the humid air and stood until her breathing settled into a gentle rhythm.

She gazed down at the business card; it was glossy and black with red embossed lettering decorating its surface.

‘Alistair Snoke’ it read.

She shoved it into her bag along with the script. A quick glance of her phone told her it was nearing lunchtime. She knew what she needed to do she needed to see Ben. An urgency filled her being.

He had given her time off but she was still his personal assistant, hopefully he would not mind her dropping in with some lunch considering he had fed her every night without fail. It was so domestic. Despite the whole not washing and barely functioning, she enjoyed his company. If he was bothered by her appearance, he did not mention it. Instead, he tried to goad her into eating and kept her talking, it was a distraction technique she knew but it worked when she was around him.

She smiled, thinking of seeing him again and got in her car. After picking up her prescription at the pharmacy, she drove to his favourite deli, ordered his usual BLT and a summer fruits smoothie, nothing too heavy for a summer’s day, and then set off to the office.

It was getting easier she noted as she pulled up in front of it. It was easier to be outside without the nagging fear. It was a win for her, a step in the right direction. The paranoia was still there but every step towards Ben was like walking on air, it was easy and natural like she was made to gravitate towards him, she some cold planet and him the sun. 

She followed the familiar route of the office and rode in the elevator before she arrived on the top floor. Only Ben’s, Hux’s and her own little office were situated on the top floor and she was thankful, not sure she could deal with the flood of her colleagues today. She did not want to damage the progress she had made. 

She held his lunch close to her chest as she walked towards his office, through the blinds she saw him hunched over his desk, deep into his work. She stood and watched him enjoying his expressions and the way he ran his hand through his hair. She was a voyeur but it was hard not to stare at him and memorise every little detail about him. 

Everyone else was taking lunch at this time but Ben was never one to take a break without persuasion and she had the tools to do just that. 

She knocked before entering, opening the door quietly.

Ben’s head snapped up, grinning when he saw her. His eyes crinkled and shone despite their obsidian colouring. 

“Rey, what a surprise,” he murmured, swivelling his chair around to the side, he stood and moved towards her.

“I am full of surprises,” she shot back, holding up his lunch. His brows shot up his forehead and his gaze heated her skin. 

She wondered if he wanted to know what surprises she had hidden up her sleeves.

“You didn’t need to bring me lunch, you are off the clock,” he admonished but he was much too pleased to see her, she could see that.

He took the items from her and gestured for her to sit at the other side of his desk. Despite him not breaking for lunch, she could tell he was hungry, starved almost as he unwrapped the sub and immediately took a bite.

She watched his throat bob as he hummed in delight. His tongue poked out and licked the crumbs left on his lips. He moaned too. He was very vocal and it stunned her. She wondered how loud he could get. Rey shamelessly watched, enjoying the sights and sounds. A voyeur indeed. 

“Forgive me, do you want the other half,” he held up the sub, offering it to her.

She shook her head, smiling.

“I have gained enough weight,” she replied honestly, thinking back to her new curves, especially the ones on her chest that were now eye level with Ben.

She noticed his quick appraisal of her, the shift of his dark eyes as he drank in the new details of her physique. The tips of his ears that poked through his wavy hair turned red.

He liked what he saw she thought.

“You look beautiful, healthy. You are glowing, despite everything,” he rattled off quickly averting his gaze from her chest and continued making quick work of his sandwich.

She felt her nipples pebble under her thin camisole over the admission. 

He called her beautiful. Such a simple set of words but it lit her up, a heat pooling in her stomach and then lower. She was shameless. He breathed in and looked up again, eyes zoning in on her pert nipples, another wave of desire filled her as his hungry eyes took her in. 

Rey quickly crossed her arms across her chest, unsure if she would cross the line by not covering evidence of her arousal around her boss. Despite her feelings, he was her boss and she would not compromise his or her position. Ben appeared somewhat disappointed, his eyes wandering up until they met hers. Time stood still as they wordlessly stared, the air thickening. She could smell him again, his alpha scent filled her nostrils and she suppressed a moan. She had never felt this kind of desire in her, sure betas felt sexual feelings and arousal but it was not as intense as this.

Breaking the spell, she dragged her eyes away from him and to her feet instead. She reclined in the chair, spinning a few times and still he watched her, a small smile at play on his plump lips.

During one of her rotations, she noticed someone stalk down the hall who was obviously not Hux. Curious, she stood. Not many people were permitted access to the top floor. It was odd to see anyone up here, especially at such an unusual time like lunch. 

“I will be back in a moment,” she said to Ben, already following the tall woman who looked strangely familiar as she drew closer. 

She walked into Hux’s office, which was near empty, devoid of anything but his desk. What was going on? Had Hux left the company? No. Ben and he were best friends; they grew up together and worked to build the company. Hux would not leave willingly she deduced. 

The tall woman in the grey pantsuit was hunched over the desk, piling Hux’s personal belongings into a box.

“Excuse me, where is Mr Hux?” Rey asked boldly, stepping closer to the woman.

The woman turned and stood tall.

Rey stepped back, startled. She would remember that face anywhere. Her icy blue eyes glinted with something as she acknowledged Rey’s presence. 

She gripped the doorway for support as her head spun, nausea filling her being. Her back hit the door with a thud. She was losing control, unable to cope with something as easy as standing.

It was the woman from the woods. She remembered how she convulsed, her body contorting on the forest floor. It was all too much, images of blood, the sounds of the woman’s screams morphed into her own, the flash of red, the flash of black and the pain. It blurred together in a silent percussion of agony and she bit back a scream.

In her own self-pity, she had not thought to think if the woman survived. It seemed like an impossibility considering the odds against her, Rey barely escaped with her life and that was primarily against one wolf, when she escaped there had been two, the black one marked her with his bite but quickly turned on his fellow wolf. She had left the woman without a moments thought and left her to the mercy with the beasts. Mercy had been granted. 

She should not have survived, but there she stood, tall and proud without a visible mark on her, a grave and sickening contrast to Rey.

 _“You,”_ Rey whispered, frowning. 

Her breaths were coming out short and fast, she felt like she was swallowing her tongue as she tried to breathe. Was this another panic attack? She breathed through her nose and readied herself on the door. 

The woman’s stoic face did not give away anything. If she had remembered Rey, she was certainly not acting like it. 

“We have not met before,” her voice was low, frosty cold in tone. She was dismissing her.

She set back to work, disregarding Rey and gathered Hux’s belongings much more quickly than before. 

Rey seethed, her mood abruptly changing. She was livid. How dare this woman act as if she had not known her when a week before she had risked her life at the first call of her screams? She could and would have died for her that night.

“The woods, you were the woman in the woods,” Rey bit out, stepping closer. 

Her body was humming with adrenaline, long gone was the panic that plagued her before, only a volatile sense of disrespect, abandonment was left. The two had shared a frightening encounter, at least to Rey that was. She clenched and unclenched her fists, fighting to find some calm. This was not her. This was something else.

The woman froze, turning once again. Her mask of indifference wavered, only slightly as she regarded Rey, did she pity her? 

“I have no idea what you are talking about, I have never seen you before in my life,” she blew her off and put the lid on the box and picked it up.

Rey was shaking now, the unfamiliar feel of rage teeming off her in waves as the woman nudged past her and walked towards the elevator. How dare she act as if she was nobody? 

Rey was not going to let her do that. She twirled and ran after her, the woman was pressing all the buttons, and clearly, she did not want to be there any longer. 

“Rey?” Ben called out confused as she passed his office. 

She ignored him, waving him off. 

She could not let this woman get away without her acknowledging what had happened to them. 

With a strength she did not know possessed, she pulled the woman’s arm, her hand circling her wrist. The box dropped to the floor with a crash and the woman spun with wide eyes, clearly surprised. Rey yanked her closer to her. 

“You better stop lying to me, it was you. I nearly died because of you!” Rey shrieked.

All the hurt, all the fear of the past week was imploding inside of her and she was taking it out on the woman, determined to make her see what she had risked when she went after her. 

She squeezed the blonde-haired woman’s wrist as the woman tried to tear her arm out of the steely grip but it did not rattle Rey, it only urged her on. 

She gripped harder, her nails digging into the woman’s pale skin.

The woman hissed as Rey felt blood pool beneath her nails. She was too far-gone. There was no coming back out of this anger she thought, all reason and see leaving her. Everything blurred. 

“Rey!” Ben roared from behind her.

She did not listen, still shouting and screaming at the woman to confess that it was her in the woods. She barely registered Ben’s words or presence.

“Let her go,” Ben ordered lowly and for some reason she did, despite the knowledge that letting her go would mean she would leave and disappear. 

The anger started to retreat as stepped away from the woman, not taking her eyes off her. 

Ben and the blonde shared a look as she backed into the elevator, wide eyed and shaking.

Rey’s chest heaved as she brought her hand up to her face; blood was embedded under her nails, they seemed longer than they had this morning. Another unexplainable phenomenon, she could not ignore it all anymore. Something was very wrong. 

“Rey,” Ben held her face with both his hands as he tried to calm her. 

He shook her hard, forcing her to look at him but her vacant, glazed eyes were unseeing and she did not register him. 

Beyond them, the doors of the elevator closed and Phasma pulled her phone from her pocket, ignoring the stinging pain of her minor injuries.

The phone rang once and then twice before the caller answered.

“We have a problem.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thursday seems to be my go to day to update this...but if I ever finish a chapter sooner, it will be up that but for now, updates are every Thursday.
> 
> Well...I put my heart into this. I am so proud of it but nervous too. I am such a novice when it comes to writing but I hope confidence comes in time.
> 
> Rey...she has a lot going on.
> 
> I would love to know your thoughts, theories and ideas. Some of you have been picking up clues/hints and I love hearing about them! So please share them.
> 
> Ps...Snoke’s first name is Alistair because that is my brother’s name and he is a pain in my ass sometimes...maybe a clue to times ahead ;)


	6. Turning Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey struggles with the aftermath of attacking Phasma and her feelings for Ben.

Ben grasped her shoulders and shook her once more, violently this time, willing her to respond. Her head lolled back but other than that, she remained frozen in place. Her skin paled with every second that passed, her lips quivered over the searing heat of his meaty palms. Ben’s touch was fire itself, her skin was ice and she melted with every connection. The softest caresses set her aflame. 

Rey could feel his desperation, practically taste it, as well as his panic but she was drowning, flailing under the surface of her consciousness, her body unresponsive and unavailable to her. She felt trapped in her fleshy prison; her extremities grew cold, a viscous contrast to the liquid head that had enveloped her skin only moments before. Deducing that she was going into shock came quickly to her; it was either that or a slow acting panic attack. A panic attack that took grip of her in an unyielding way, different to what she was used to, it rendered her quiet by seeping and trickling into her blood and limbs like drops of rain on fresh grass. 

The anger she had felt was visceral, white hot and dark. She feared the darkness she had felt within herself. She had lost herself in it, not resisting its allure. Bewitching and tempting it had been but she had not even tried to reign herself in, the magnetic pull of it welcomed her and she had found home in its wicked embrace. What she was becoming sickened her. How could she still be Rey Kenobi when she felt like her mind was not her own? That she had not control over what she thought or did. It terrified her, the fear struck deep but she was indignant, outraged that she had let the events of the last week change her in such a drastic way. She would learn control; she would beat and conquer whatever was happening her.

The confrontation with the blonde woman had sparked something within her, unleashing her hidden fury, it had heated her to the bone, awoke a fire in her that she never knew existed but now she stood, shivering, blinking. She was a shadow of herself.

Something was quite obviously not right and she had been foolish to think she could deny it. Something was amiss, she was acting erroneously and unlike she had ever before. Not even puberty, some of the most utterly terrible and confusing years of her life had set her off course that much. Deep down she knew she had been denying the signs, choosing to live in an ignorant way so she could delay addressing the truth, to entertain such possibilities. As the changes wreaked havoc, sinking into her mind, her flesh and her spirit, she turned the other way and slept. She had curled up in bed like a pitiful child and denied any wrongdoing, choosing instead to fade like a withered flower and wait around for Ben. 

She thought of how her grandfather would think about her letting herself become such an obtuse woman. It was not in her blood to live that way. She would not live that way anymore. Confronting what was before her eyes would be difficult, far from an easy task, but she would do it.

With one final push, she broke the surface, no longer drowning in a sea of her morose and cynical thoughts. She shuddered, feeling in control of herself once more, it was a small accomplishment. Blinking, she gazed upwards at Ben. 

“Ben,” she croaked out her eyes no longer glazed and unseeing.

His broad shoulders sagged in relief as she looked upon him.

Not quite trusting the complete use of her limbs, Rey steadied herself with a firm grip on Ben’s forearms, defiling them with the lying woman’s blood. The blood she had shed in her lapse of all judgment, the haze she lost herself to but she could not find it within her to feel guilt or sympathise for the woman’s injuries. Not when she had all but begged her to correlate her version of events, to validate her so that the struggles she endured since had not been for nothing. The pain, the suffering, the doubts would have all been inconsequential to Rey if the woman had acknowledged her or appreciated her efforts that had left her torn, broken and bleeding. 

Something inside of her mind sparked with the contact, the usual and recognisable sense of calm that washed over her whenever she touched Ben was there but something else lingered, simmered deep inside. It was primal, purely animalistic as she wondered if she squeezed him hard enough, would she draw his blood. Perhaps if she clutched his forearms hard enough she would leave a trail of petal shaped bruises upon his skin and mark him.

The idea of him carrying a trace of her on his pale skin both delighted and sickened her, it was all consuming, wrong but right. A part of her wanted anyone who came upon him to witness her claim on him, for people to know that he was desired, owned by another. She had never experienced such a want, betas rarely felt the need to mark another, it was unnecessary, an ancient fundamental between mating pairs. The alpha and the omegas the epitome of such a ritual. That was until the extinction of the omegas, very few walked around with a mating mark anymore, and it had lost almost all of its meaning.

Yet, she wanted him to carry her mark. 

It was all about finding the right spot, her eyes trailed upwards, zoning in on the coiled, flushed flesh of his neck. His pulse was visible against the delicate skin, pumping feverishly. There, she wanted to leave a permanent piece of herself there. 

She shook the idea away when Ben finally spoke, halting her deviant thoughts. 

“I think you went into shock, focus on me, listen to my voice,” he whispered, his arms folded around her shoulders, drawing her closer to him until she lay her head upon his chest.

She hummed, inhaling his distinct scent with greed. She wanted to devour it, until she smelled him on her skin long after they went their separate ways. Was it his pheromones? Did he naturally smell so stimulating? He smelled heavily of firewood, which was naturally fitting considering his heated skin, it washed over him with strong hints of pine, he was so earthy, natural and like a moth to a flame, she was done for. 

Rey’s cold, clammy skin left a light imprint of sweat on his shirt but he did not seem to care, if he did, he did not say anything to her, instead choosing to thread his skilled fingers through her chestnut waves. She fought a moan and moved against him, craving more contact; she would never feel close enough to him. 

To distract herself further, she acted upon his words and listened to him, freeing her mind of all thoughts and willed herself back into a sense of normality, as if she knew what that meant anymore. 

“Listen to my heart Rey. Can you feel how it races with you in my arms? Focus on how it beats, count them and breathe,” Ben murmured, his other hand moved from her shoulders and then up and down the length of her spine. His fingers brushed the thin fabric of her cardigan, his warmth seeping right down into her skin, lighting a new fire in her flesh. 

Some part of her liked to think that his raced for her because he wanted her as she wanted him. 

She nuzzled closer into his familiar, reassuring warmth by twisting her head back and forth, her nose brushing across his shirt. It stirred her and gave her the opportunity to dig a little deeper into his skin. His scent was overwhelming. She hoped she would be able to smell him upon her skin later. She would feast on it. 

Ben’s embrace beat the darkness within her, the black that corrupted her without a fight; he shielded her from it and filled her with his goodness, his light. She relaxed into his arms, enjoying the calm. 

Focusing on his heart, she listened, fascinated over the sounds and workings within him. From her position, she could hear how the blood rushed through his veins and powered the centre of his system. It was soothing and reassuring. 

His heart beat rapidly.

Was she the cause of such a stirring heart? The thought excited her. 

His heart beat strong, a sign of his youth and health and she hoped she would not be around the day it beat no longer. It pained her to think that a moment in time could exist where she could lay her head upon his chest and find it still and unmoving. The world would be a darker a place without Ben in it, a place she did not care to imagine. He was her sun; she could not live without him.

“One, two, three,” she counted and was surprised when she found herself being able to breathe much easier. The little thuds centred her. 

How was he so well acquainted with how to ease her pain? Was she an open book and him a vicarious reader, who had memorised all she was and all she would ever be? It seemed like a possibility. 

Perhaps it was an alpha thing. They were said to be fearless so had Ben faced all the fears of the world and mastered the skill of taking the fear of others? Maybe he was only tuned into her, maybe over the years he had studied her like she had studied him, with interest and passion. She would not admit it aloud but in some ways, he was her alpha. He protected her like one. Like he was her one.

Was it possible he cared for her as she did him? She did not expect him to love her that was a dream; she loved him though despite not being able to explicitly call him hers. That was something she knew to be true, in a time of uncertainty, fear and doubt about her life, she knew her love for him was real. It had to be. 

“Well done sweetheart.”

The term of endearment sent her own heart into a mild flutter and he smiled into her hair as if he could hear it, that he knew what effect he had on her. Perhaps he did. Maybe he felt the waves of her own heartbeat against his skin, beautiful and chaotic. 

“I lost control,” Rey finally admitted, grimacing at how redundant it sounded.

It was a grave understatement.

It was odd to speak, in some way she expected to sound different to match her inner turmoil or the new darkness that she begrudgingly accepted was a part of her, a part that she intended to nestle away and control. 

Ben was silent for a moment, collecting his thoughts, she surmised. 

What must he think of her? She attacked someone in front of him with little to no provocation, just the denial of their shared trauma. It worried her, she worked her bottom lip in between her teeth but not hard enough to draw blood. She had drawn too much of it that day. 

“It is understandable with what you have endured. You are only human Rey.”

Rey did not know how bitter those words tasted on his tongue, how he half resented them and wished them untrue.

His words did not surprise her. She had always known Ben to avoid conflict; he seemed to have a deeper understanding of situations. He was bound to have heard the words exchanged, he must have known who this woman was to her, she had told him almost everything of that night. 

“Maybe.”

Thinking back to her new mindset and resolve about addressing the changes occurring within her, she spoke honestly. Maybe she was not as human as she thought she was. Somewhere inside, she knew that she had lost some shred of her humanity when she attacked the woman without a moment’s hesitation or doubt in her own actions. 

The mood swings and the physical changes had to mean something. Her accelerated healing only fuelled her worst suspicions. 

She was not all human anymore. It killed her to admit it; the truth, which she was not sure, was the truth, seemed impossible to accept. Was she turning into a wolf? Had the bite somehow caused the changes? She would investigate, no matter how foolish it seemed.

Pulling away from Ben, she scanned his features, wary of his reaction. She had just admitted that maybe she was not human human. He was frowning in confusion but upon noticing her surveying him, he recovered quickly and offered a small smile. It was not convincing. 

She hated the idea of him frowning, hiding his thoughts from her. With a newfound confidence, she stood on her tiptoes and pulled his tie, so he had to lower himself to her. He did and then she pressed a chaste, delicate kiss upon his lips. She had wanted to feel his plump lips with her own for years but it was worth the wait. With no divide between them, she felt whole, no longer like two disparate pieces unable to meet. Now they move toward each other.

Perhaps she would play it off as a thank you. In a way it was, he had been there for her for years and recently he had been the only one around to help put her back together. 

Her mind screamed at her to mark him, to suck a pretty blossom into his neck as she had dreamed of earlier and then more. She would have claimed more of him but despite her confidence, there was a shadow of insecurity. There was the sickening possibility that he saw her as nothing but an employee, a little broken beta that he had to nurture because his alpha instincts told him to. 

A rosy blush coloured her cheeks as she released her hold on him and sank her feet back to the ground. She studied his dark eyes as they widened, in awe, as they grew impossibly darker. Had she made a mistake? He did not let her think anymore; instead, he tilted her chin upwards with his forefinger. 

“I have wanted to kiss you for years,” he whispered, a wolfish smile gracing his features.

Ben yanked her to him and claimed her mouth with his again. It was far from the chaste kiss she bestowed upon him, he was all passion, something she did and did not expect of him. 

She settled into him, matching his lips with her own. It surprised her that she could keep up with his pace. His mouth was so warm, the caress of his lips softer than she imagined, even in their fevered dance. He tasted her bottom lip with his teeth, nibbling on it before tentatively running his tongue over the velvet flesh. Rey opened her mouth with a low moan and let him explore her further. In harmony she caressed his tongue with her own, intoxicated with his taste. He cupped each side of her jaw, bringing her closer as he consumed her. It was liquid heat, a spark and something that neither would tire of. 

Her fingers found themselves threaded in his luscious locks; she tugged and pulled, relishing the velvety texture and he moaned into her mouth, the sound lighting a fire in her stomach and lower. That only spurred him on; his mouth worked harder, desperate, leaving her lips plump and bruised. It was both pleasure and pain, a fine line between the two. His hand moved lower and gripped her hips as he moved himself against her soft flesh. 

This is what it meant to be his, a raw, primal thing, a beautiful explosion of affection. She would never kiss another again. 

Rey began growing dizzy from the lack of breathing; she would happily die that way. She did not want to stop; one taste of him would never be enough. Alas, she smiled and kissed his lips once more, softly this time and pulled back, her face flushed and glowing. 

Ben was a mirror image, grinning and breathless. 

They shared a knowing smile. They both felt the connection, the spark between them. They had moved in such a fashion that it was impossible that anyone else could fit or take their places. They were made for each other. 

“I need to go clean up, I will be back in a moment,” she said, offering her hands up for him to see.

If she was to touch him again, which she desperately wanted to, she wanted to rid herself of the woman’s blood, which played as just another reminder of her losing control of her mind and body. She wanted to be fully in control when it came to Ben. That was important to her. If anything, she would gladly lose control to and for him but under her own rules.

With a breath of new life in her system and a spring in her step, she practically floated to the restroom. It was large, decorated in black marble and the walls red. It was sickeningly bright which surprised even her, she shielded her eyes with her forearm and acclimatised herself to the new room. 

That was another thing she had noticed, another change to add to the never ending list. Her senses seemed refined, finely tuned and turned up to the highest setting. It was both curiously interesting and irritating. The air conditioner hummed incessantly, much louder that she had remembered. Yes, her senses were sharper. She swallowed thinking of the possibilities and consequences. 

She wanted to turn everything off, slow whatever was happening.

Flushed and overheated, she walked to the sink and turned on the tap before squeezing a healthy amount of soap into her palms before scrubbing her skin raw. She made sure that not a trace of blood was left on her. She had purposely avoided the mirror, unsure of how much of a mess she looked. Of course, she was hot and bothered, she had just kissed the man she had been pining over for years and she hoped it did not show in her outwardly appearance.

He was her first kiss.

Once she finished her cleaning, she planted her hands on the cool marble and stilled, using the moment to decompress. She smiled and brushed her fingertips across her mouth. She could still taste him. He had stained her lips with heaven and nothing could clean them, she liked the idea of that. She would never let another but him claim them. 

Her body relaxed as she felt his phantom hands on her shoulders, her hips, and her face. It was almost too much.

Smiling, she finally peered at the mirror. Expecting to see the flushed and wide-eyed face of a woman who had been kissed for the first time, she instead was met by something else. 

Her blood turned cold, the bliss she had felt only moments before vanished with dread left in its place.

Gone were the hazel irises she had seen almost everyday of her life. In their place, the golden ring that was familiar, which had always circled her iris in a thin rim had seeped out and swallowed the greens and browns, decimating all other colours. Left was nothing but a solid golden, almost yellow, glowing.

She gripped the sink in surprise; it cracked under her hands and tumbled to the ground, smashing upon impact with the tiled floor. This was not happening. This was a dream. 

Shaking, she lifted her hands up to her face so she could examine herself further. Her nails that she normally kept clipped down into nothing were visibly longer, sharpened into deadly little pointed claws. Fuck. 

Hyperventilating she looked towards the mirror again and blinked, hoping this was an elaborate trick of her eyes but still her eyes remained gold, glowing strongly under the lights.

A sharp, violent wave of pain coursed through her, she bent double, gasping as she clutched her stomach. She stumbled backwards, falling onto her back as another shot of pain coursed through her. Breathing hard, she managed to crawl into the bathroom stall and locked the door behind her. She heaved out sharp breaths as she found her footing and stood, her body viciously shaking. 

Fear gripped her as she worked to settle her breathing but the images of herself in the mirror with the unrecognisable eyes, golden like the sun plagued her mind. 

She was most definitely not just a human anymore. Bile found its way out of her mouth and she bowed down, hovering over the toilet and emptied the acidic liquid into the toilet bowl, groaning as it sliced the inside of her throat. 

Cursing, she stood again, wiping her mouth with the back of her sleeve, her eyes rolling into the back of her head. 

“Rey!”

Through the crack in the door she saw Ben running into the restroom and observing the damage she had caused, she left destruction in her wake. He ran his hand through his hair as he tip toed around the smashed marble and tried to open the door.

She could not let him see her like this. She was a monster!

She was not entirely human anymore.

She panicked, tears streaming down her face as she thought of him seeing her but she soon found her voice. Swallowing hard she readied herself.

“Leave me alone!” she screamed, rushing backwards until she huddled into the corner of the stall, with nowhere left to run. She was a caged rabbit. Rubbing her face hard she kicked the wall in anguish. 

“I am not going anywhere Rey, what happened?” Ben said firmly, trying the door once again. 

She shut her eyes, squeezing them as hard as she could and shook, hitting her head off the bathroom stall. Maybe she would knock herself out; it would mean avoiding facing him with her demon eyes. 

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” she whispered, mostly to herself.

How could she drag Ben into this? If only she had stayed at home…

She let out a hysterical laugh as she played with the sleeve of her cardigan. She was losing her mind, surely. Could this really be happening? 

“Try me,” Ben pleaded from the door.

She could not get rid of him, like the week before he was going nowhere and she both loved and hated it. That earned another laugh. It seemed to have an effect on him.

“If you do not come out, I will tear this door off if I have to Rey. I am worried sick,” his tone softened at the end and she hated herself for worrying him. She could hear his panic, his frustration, it was odd to hear. 

If she told him her suspicions, any chance of something happening between them would be gone. She had no choice, there was no way of getting out of the building without his say so, he would not leave her. 

She exhaled and turned the lock. She kept her eyes squeezed shut and used her hands to navigate until she was confident she could manage walking. She opened the door and stepped out, tears still streaming down her face.

“You remember what I told you about how I was attacked.”

It was a statement; she could not imagine him forgetting a word of what she had confided him with. 

“Of course.”

She wrung her hands in front of her, twisting and turning her fingers in her palms. It did little to help but it kept her somewhat focused.

“The first one, a red headed beast tore into me with his claws, he was tearing me apart,” her voice wobbled, she had to relive the torture all over again. 

“He will never hurt you again,” Ben assured her, his voice low, almost animalistic. 

Rey shook her head.

“A second wolf appeared, this one as dark as the night itself. It gave me a chance to escape but,”

“But what?” he asked quietly. He sounded genuinely interested, eager to know of what secrets she had kept from him. 

Deciding to appear somewhat strong about her situation, she stood tall, squaring her shoulders and exhaled, a small hiss escaping her lips as another jolt of pain seared through her.

Before she could lose her nerve, she pulled at the sleeve of her cardigan, tugging it up passed her elbow and finally revealed the bite to him. It was burning incessantly as it always did in his presence.

Ben staggered backwards, not quite believing what he was seeing and hearing. 

“The black one leapt at us, teeth bared. It bit my arm and ever since then I have been experiencing changes.”

Rey opened her eyes, revealing the glowing golden orbs to him.

Ben, visibly startled, gasped, his skin growing peaky pale.

“Something is happening to me.” Rey confessed bitterly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uploading on a Thursday...with 10 minutes to go before it is Friday.
> 
> Not going to lie, this chapter wrecked me.
> 
> I have wrote 10 versions of it and I didn’t like a single one. The version you have read was literally wrote in an hour and just before midnight was upon me.
> 
> I am disappointed in it but I didn’t want to leave you all hanging. I wouldn’t have been able to upload until next week if I didn’t get it up tonight as I am going to a party thing over the weekend.
> 
> Anyway!
> 
> Spare my own pessimistic thoughts and leave me your thoughts/theories.
> 
> They mean the world to me and I could really use them with this chapter...I definitely need a little push to write the next one after the ordeal of this one hahaha :)


	7. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey deal with the fall out of her confession.

Rendered speechless for the first time in his life, Ben Solo paled, his hands trembling at his sides. A loud, incessant buzzing filled his ears and he struggled to discern much at all, as her words sunk in, seeping into his mind and rattling it. While the confession over the part he played in the attack on her near enough stopped his heart, it was the sight of the bite, _his bite_ , disfiguring Rey’s arm that had him swaying on his feet, nausea licking his stomach, fisting his guts. 

“Ben!” 

Rey ran forward, closing the space between them but it was too late, he crumpled downwards, his head smacking the tiled floor with a sickening thud. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was Rey’s golden eyes, glowing with worry. Worry he was not worthy of.

xxx

_“I am sorry…stay with me.”_

An inscrutable time later, he woke.

_Alone._

Waking alone was agonising but it was little in comparison, a drop in the ocean, to what he really deserved. How he wished Rey had been there, hovering above him, her face inches from his own, he imagined how the fluorescent backlights would have lit her up, creating a halo around her celestial face. Instead, he had damned her and she had fled. The worry he felt for her was nothing short of hysterical, obsessive.

As he sat up, he hissed, cradling the back of his head, crimson wetting his fingertips. The wound had already healed, that was something less to worry about, but Rey was nowhere in sight, the only reminder that she had been present at all was her cardigan, which she must have folded and placed under his head after he fainted. It was another gesture of kindness he was undeserving of, not with what he had inflicted upon her. 

Despite this, he picked up the flimsy garment, fingering the delicate fabric with his forefinger and thumb and pulled it to his face, inhaling deeply as he rocked on the balls of his feet. He devoured what was left of her, clinging to the inconsequential item as he would have done if she was there, if she had not left him. Her scent was overwhelming, she smelled like the first glimpse of the sun on a cold winter morning and like the ocean, salty waves brushing against the sand. It drew him to her, almost bewitched and defiled him in a delicious way. There was no doubt in his mind that Rey was made for him, born to walk by his side. There was something more though, something he was all too familiar with. Underneath it all was the unmistakable scent of wolves…it was woodsy, earthy but undeniably there.

Rey, his light and his sun was tainted by darkness, a darkness he knew all too well. It was something he would have never wished upon her but it was also something he knew was in her flesh, her blood, she was born to lead her life by the mercy of the moon, her ancient bloodline, one of the first of their kind was evidence of that. She was the last Kenobi, him the last male Skywalker. Long before he was of mating age, the weight of carrying on the bloodline was thrust upon him, something he wished to shake with every year that passed. His shoulders were hunched and weary, nearly unable to bear such a task, a burden, he had long wished was not his. For the first time in his life, he felt a flicker of hope; he clung to the dream that Rey could lend him some of her strength, her light, and her love and carry it with him. They could join their prestigious bloodlines and lead their people. 

Yet, she seemingly knew nothing of her history, the importance of her blood. Ben had grown up knowing the existence of wolves, his dramatic transformation into his formidable wolf had matured him, educated him. He was but a child of only five years when he turned, something unseen and unheard of in their history. From his birth he was powerful, presenting as an alpha in his early teens surprised no one. 

He thought about how Rey had grown, she had led a seemingly normal life, a life that she deserved to lead but he had triggered her gene, he was certain of that when his eyes drank in the bite. He had undoubtedly caused changes within her. 

He cursed himself for not seeing them or realising it sooner, how many nights had he sat across from her, immersed in nothing but her and her personal surroundings and not noticed the subtle but distinct oddities. Thinking back, he realised she had changed in many ways, not just physically. All week her mood had been erratic, her depressive and fearful state could abruptly turn into fiery rage or blissful happiness without a second passing. 

The physical changes he had admittedly missed throughout the week he had visited her. She had taken to drowning her figure in overly baggy clothes, hiding what lay beneath. Whilst he had not liked the idea of her covering up, he assumed she was ashamed of the scars that lay beneath. She had nothing to be ashamed of, she was a warrior with how she fought Hux off, humans never survived the attack of a wolf, and she was a survivor. A rush of both pride and anguish rushed through him.

He clenched his fists, recalling the vivid images of Hux’s claws upon her golden skin, how he tore it and maroon spraying the leaves. Ben knew if Hux touched her again, he would be unable to control himself from spilling his blood until his heart was dead and silent. It hurt even more and nearly crippled him now that he knew he had bitten her, he had barrelled in, tearing at the first thing he collided with and now he knew it was her arm, too embroiled in his rage he had not discerned Rey’s limb from any part of his closest friend. Hux was a man he called brother. His teeth had ravaged her, penetrating a part of her being, her very soul.

Rey’s womanly changes were hard not to notice when he had pulled her flush against him, her flesh like heaven’s clouds beneath his devilish and bruising grasp. Her hips were wider, spacious enough to accommodate his splayed hands as he devoured her lips with his own. He wanted to see everything; he wanted to trace her bare flesh with his lips, his tongue, and his fingertips, to map out her curves, memorise the grooves of her skin and leave a trace of himself in the celestial heat he would undoubtedly find deep within her. 

 

“I am _sorry_ ,” he whispered, knowing full well she could not hear him but the words needed released, they were eating him up inside, the guilt was almost too much to stomach.

He stood, careful to avoid the mess of crushed marble, the destruction she had caused with her bare hands. She was stronger, even in her human form, than he ever could have imagined, it both startled and thrilled him. Finally, he had an equal, someone to rise up and challenge his alpha, someone to stand by his side. His mate had been right in front of his eyes for years; the woman who haunted his dreams and taunted him like a ghost, something unattainable was now in his grasp.

He was being torn apart; the guilt and pleasure consumed him, burned him alive. 

The hedonistic part of him, Kylo, was rejoicing, overjoyed with the idea that he could claim her without any complications. Nothing could keep them a part any longer, not whilst she was like him. 

He had always known it was expected of him to mate with a fellow wolf, a beta, considering they were his only option, the omegas extinct in both human and wolf form. His grandfather had been lucky, he found an omega, Padme. They were deeply in love despite the fears they had for her safety, an omega was a gem in their world, tremendously rare, and so Anakin Skywalker had fought off dozens of alphas to secure his claim on her, to protect her from harm. Despite his efforts, she was murdered when Ben’s mother turned twenty-one and that harmed Anakin more than any alpha could. Rumours suggested it drove him mad, he disappeared, never to be seen again and Ben Kenobi lost his pack’s heir. It was after Padme’s death that Han was announced as his new heir and like Anakin; Ben Kenobi left his pack, renounced his heritage behind and shied away from everyone. Leia claimed he blamed himself for Padme’s death, that he failed as her dear friend and pack leader to protect her.

Now, Ben realised some time along the way, Ben Kenobi had started a family in secret and ended up raising Rey, his only living descendant until his death. Rey had told him her parents died days after her birth, old Ben Kenobi, his namesake, was all she had, her only hope. It was only fitting now that Ben was going to pursue her, protect her and take her as his mate. He was certain she had feelings for him, he had been blind not to see it through the years, he had denied her lingering looks and heated chemistry because he knew no matter how much he wanted her, he could not drag her into his world, no matter how much it killed him to deny himself.

That was a thing of the past; she was being thrown into his world, her world…their world. Whilst it had been an impossibility, it was now his reality; since she was a beta wolf he could have her, show her his true feelings.

The other half of him, Ben, was sick beyond comprehension. What if she had not wanted to be a part of his world despite her heritage? Would she have turned naturally if he had not bit her and ignited the changes, triggering her gene? He was unsure. Females always tended to transform much later than males, they were notorious for displaying no effects of their gene until the moment came and they were writhing and convulsing under the moon and vulnerable.

What would she think of him when she found out it was he who bit her? Knowing he deserved her hatred was difficult for him to accept. He had held her in his arms, kissed her, tasted the sky only an hour before and the idea that she could look at him, repulsed with him caused his heart to break. He feared. Fear was a foreign concept to Ben, he had never feared anything but his own failure and failed Rey, he had. Despite being an alpha, he was unsure if he could tell her of the grim truth, his darkest secret, for fear of losing her was a fate worse than death. 

Rey could hate him but he would not let her suffer alone, he would guide her through the change, even if she begged him to leave. He would follow her to the ends of the earth, follow her through the deepest oceans and bare himself to her if she would let him have the privilege to stand by her side.

The light inside her, the strength was something he had never seen in another. Despite the nagging guilt, he wanted her, desperately.

He was even more desperate now as he stood, observing the mess around him.

Her eyes were unlike anything he had seen, the little rim of gold that circled her iris, something he had admired since the day he met her had expanded, filling her eye until gold swallowed her greens and browns. They were beautiful, an oddity. Eye colour had always fascinated him; he knew his startling crimson ones were unique, unlike any other wolves. The pack and his rivals all stared in awe at them, he intimated anyone he came across with just one gaze. Most wolfs kept their own eye colours even in their second form but Ben’s obsidian eyes were nowhere to be found when he transformed. 

Now, he was not alone. Hers would shine next to his.

Walking to an undamaged sink, he perched over it and cleaned his blood from his hands. Despite his guilt and simmering excitement, he knew Rey was in trouble. She was changing and it was not a full moon, which was anomaly in itself. Only alphas could shift without the help of the moon. Betas were not as powerful and so needed the energy and power from the moon to aid their shift. 

Rey was no alpha. 

Perhaps Rey’s changes were just manifesting in false waves, her eyes, and her clawed hands startlingly clear. Maybe it was an influx of power after her gene had been awoken so long after being repressed. He hoped it was that. It would be easier to guide her through the transformation on the night of a full moon; it would be easier and less painful with the help of it.

Ben knew he would find her. He hurried out of his office, grabbing his cell phone and car keys and took the elevator until he was at the bottom floor. It was still light out, heavy humidity thick the air. Hoping no one had seen Rey and her eyes, exposure thick in the back of his mind; he hopped into his Mercedes, revved the engine, and sped down the empty roads. He hoped to reach her cabin in good time. 

Finding Rey was no longer an issue, he knew where she would go when she was scared, a safe place but even if he had not, he was linked to her now.

The final detail he had not thought of was now in the forefront of his mind. It explained why he felt so protective of her, why his feelings for her were intensified and raw.

When he bit her, he had not only triggered her change...he had left his mating mark on her.

xxx

Rey thought she knew fear; they were close companions ever since the attack, two familiar beings clutched into an empty and unwanted embrace. Somehow, she knew she would carry a sense of uneasiness with her for the rest of her life, she was stained and damaged from the attack but she would no longer let it define her or let it rule her life. She would fight it with every cell of her being and walk out the victor, a survivor, a Kenobi. 

However, nothing had prepared her for the fear she felt when she saw Ben collapse; he was down and unmoving before she could steady him. The sound of his head colliding with the cold tiles was enough to stop her heart; the blood in her veins was replaced by ice, contrasting with the blazing fire of her shame. 

The terror of his unmoving form gripped her heart and shed it from her chest; it pumped wildly as she accessed him, hysteria settling in. She was almost too scared to touch him even with the softest of caresses, a ghosting of an embrace, in case she inflicted any more damage upon him.

After all, it was the sight of her unnerving golden eyes, the monstrous bite and her confession that had sent him to the ground. She must have terrified him. Of course, she had. No longer was she the woman he knew her to be, she was still herself, she would hold onto her humanity as death clutches an unbeating heart. However, she was something else, something entirely different. Would she become a monster? If she turned into a wolf, would she prey on innocent humans like the red beast from the forest? No. She was not sure if she could control what was happening but she could control where she went and hide herself from the general population.

There was only one place to go.

The cabin had been her safe place, a dwelling filled with precious memories but the attack had ultimately shattered whatever safety she felt there. Her bathroom was still covered in blood, her blood. It was defiled beyond comprehension, forever corrupted by the red haired beast from the forest. It was her only option though; it was secluded, far from any humans and gifted with a veil of privacy. 

Only hours before she had struggled to leave her house, the idea of returning to the cabin after the ordeal all but an unrealistic dream. She had no choice; she would face her fears with the fiery spirit she knew lingered inside of her and reclaim her safe space, her treasured home. 

She hoped she was wrong. In some ways, she hoped she had lost her mind and was imagining what was happening to her. It would not be unheard of; the state of her mind had been in shambles all week, so much so that Dr Mitaka referred her to a psychiatrist. Was she hallucinating? All the changes a figment of her imagination?

She sighed, peering down at Ben.

No. 

Ben had fainted at the sight of her so the changes were very real. There was no denying it. 

She breathed through her nose and smacked the tiled floor beneath her with a cry. They had been so close, they shared a kiss, a beautiful connection opened between them and now she had ruined it.

Glancing down at her fingers, she eyed the sharp claws that decorated them. How could she touch him, comfort him when she looked the way she did? Her touch would soil his skin; rip him apart if she was not gentle enough.

However, she could not deny the need to nurture him, to feel him for herself.

Without another thought, she shrugged off her thin cardigan and folded it until it resembled a make shift pillow. Carefully, oh so carefully, she bundled it and hovered over Ben, and lifted his head from the cold tile. His hair was damp with blood, an insignificant amount but it teared her up inside like a stab to the heart. She placed the fabric beneath his head as she cradled him and set him down.

It was the least she could do. 

With one hand, she scrubbed her face hard, struggling not to cry. She had never seen Ben so vulnerable and it was as if a part of her was slowly wilting away at the sight. 

Ben was an alpha, a fearless man, someone who had always been there for Rey and yet now he appeared like a defenceless child at her mercy. To keep her worries at bay, she placed her finger on his wrist and kept it there. She felt the steady thrum of his pulse against her skin and sighed in relief. The rhythm, the steady movement against her fingertip kept her grounded, sane, whilst she waited for any sign of movements.

After half an hour of her praying at her altar, his body her cross, his pulse her saviour, she moved and hovered above him again. 

She laid her head upon his chest after listening to his breathing.

She would have to leave before he woke but it frightened her to even consider such an option. She bit her lip as a dull ache surged through her back, a loud pop filling the silence. Catching herself before she could collapse on Ben, she withheld a groan. She could not stay much longer.

Gently cupping either side of his head, she closed her eyes and cleared her mind. She was not sure what she was doing but she felt the need to touch him as if she could somehow reach his mind with her touch.

She brushed her lips across his forehead and pressed a gentle kiss upon it. 

Imagining herself in his mind, she willed him to wake up. It was an odd thing to do but she was desperate. She needed him to be okay.

Her voice came out in a croaky whisper.

“I am sorry…stay with me.”

To her shock, Ben stirred, his eyes moving rapidly under his eyelids.

As if burned, she removed her hands and clambered to her feet. A loan tear rolled down her cheek as she allowed herself one final glance of him. She was undeserving of him and she would not terrify him anymore with her appearance.

She ran, like a coward, she ran, bolting towards the elevator and shoved herself inside. With a new sense of urgency, she pressed the buttons with her claws, her heart racing in anticipation. If she could make it out of the office without being seen, she would be okay.

Luckily, no one boarded the enclosed space and she sprinted out of the building and threw herself into her car, sweating and chest heaving. The pain in her core was steadily increasing and she sent a silent prayer to the god she denied that she would make it to the cabin in time. 

With a screech of her tires and a sharp turn of her steering wheel, she was flying down the roads, lucky for their empty state. She brushed her hair from her eyes and opened the windows as she sped, her skin taking on a feverishly hot tone. 

Only a few miles from the turn off for the lake, another gut wrenching jolt of pain stabbed at her insides, she swerved over the road line but recovered quickly, cursing as she groped at her stomach. Without thinking, she slammed her foot on the gas; she needed to get to the cabin.

Behind her, a police car lit up its red and blues, the siren’s song filling her ears. It was shrilling, sharp and went right through her, she gasped, one hand clinging to her ear as a weak attempt to muffle the obnoxious sound.

“Fuck,” she screamed, slamming her fist on the steering wheel. 

She indicated and quickly parked up, rummaging in her glovebox for a pair of sunglasses, she managed to slip them on as a short, stoutly officer walked up to her window.

“Roll down the window miss,” the man sighed, looking bored and tired.

Blood filled her mouth as she chewed on her lip, working the flesh with fevered worry.

Begrudgingly, she obeyed his order, her hand shaking as she rolled down the window, it squeaked and whined with every inch given and the officer rolled his eyes.

“I will need to see your licence and registration. Do you know you were speeding and swerving? Speeding laws are put in place to ensure the safety of all citizens,” he droned on.

Rey clenched her teeth, her anger spiking through her pain. She could not move, deciding upon gripping the wheel instead. Some part of her wanted to make a run for it but ultimately it would end in her capture, maybe even detainment and she could not risk that.

The officer, clearly sensing her apprehension stood back and motioned for her to get out of the car.

“I need to you step outside the car,” he huffed out.

Rey was not going to oblige him. Instead, she snapped her head to the side, a new wave of frustration controlling ever move. She lowered her sunglasses and glared at him.

_“You are going to forget you saw me and let me go on my way,” she muttered lowly, eerily quiet._

She no longer felt in control, something else had taken hold of her.

“I am going to forget I saw you and let you go on your way,” the officer repeated robotically, turning quickly and sauntered back to his car.

Rey sat in disbelief as her temper simmered away and she was left stunned, sitting in the car. She watched as the police officer got into his own vehicle and drove away without a second glance at her.

What was _that?_

She could not waste time to think about it, whatever she had done had worked. She started up the beetle again and drove until she hit the lake, the familiarity of the secluded and winding roads calming her considerably. Whilst she drove, her eyes scanned the thick brush and formation of trees, expecting a flash of red to barrage into her car. Nothing did though.

Rolling up to the cabin was both a relief and worry. A relief to be in the comfort of her second home again but worry about what was going to happen. She stumbled out of the car, her legs shaky and unsure. 

She fell as her calf spasmed, cramping. The grass softened her fall and she found herself having to crawl up the steps, dragging the inflicted limb behind her with a guttural grunt.

Perspiring, she unlocked the door and rolled her body in, collapsing on the floor, breathing hard. Unable to move, she kicked the door shut, the effort almost too much for her. 

It was not long before she was convulsing, much as she had as a child when he grandfather injected her with his strange concoction. Ripping her camisole, she tore a piece of it and put it into her mouth as not to bite or swallow her tongue. She bit down, screaming into the fabric as a heavy weight settled in her limbs, the pain visceral and overwhelming. Body squirming, she heaved herself into a sitting position and dragged herself towards the thick rug in the middle of the room.

She was not sure how much time was passing, her mind unable to compile or rationalise anything but the foreign pain, the agony of every passing second. Half delirious she laughed, high pitched and whiny when the pain retreated. It came in waves, luring her into a sense of security and calm and then hit her like a truck, smashing any hope that lingered, decimating all rationality and peace.

Rey wondered if she was dying, her skin was slick, sweat pooled in the contours of her body and dripped from her torrid flesh. Surely, she could not survive such a fever. She was not sure she wanted to, she wanted to be free of the ghastly pain and leave this world, unable to suffer any longer. Imagining herself being spirited and carried away from her body resulted in her smiling. It was a selfish thought, she knew but she could not bring herself to care. Between her damaged mind and freakishly changing body, she questioned it all. Was life worth living if she could harm another? She had already proved herself unhinged, unstable with the blonde woman, her temper blossoming and presenting itself in slightest sign of conflict. 

Some part of her knew it was worth living.

The pain made her human.

She needed to clutch on to it, otherwise she would lose herself in a sea of despair and acrimony. She refused to lose herself despite the ravaging of her body, her beastly counterpart rearing its ugly head. Clinging to the idea of how beautiful life could be if she learned control, she loosened her fists and rolled herself into the foetal position.

Puffing out short breaths, her nostrils flared as she prepared herself for another attack, an onslaught of straining agony. Absentmindedly, she felt a small trickle of blood flowing from her nose, the coppery liquid staining her gag. 

A muscle shifted in her back, expanding, a bone crunched in her leg as it lengthened and grew in size. She contorted upwards, her spine arching and she screamed. She shrieked so loud, it dizzied her, almost deafened her as the pain threatened to break her. It was horrific, blinding and she was helpless against it.  
The ache clutched and shook every part of her and the convulsions magnified, her whole body shaking uncontrollably, her limbs and head smacked against the floor in rattled thuds. Weakly, she begged for death again, a permanent remedy to the temporary sickness. 

Shaking, she raised her hand to her face when she felt her fingers popping in their sockets, growing obscenely longer and grotesque right before her eyes. Her tiny hand transformed to almost four times its original size and she yelped as the sight sent her reeling. The vision clawed at her mind, sending her into a delirious reality. 

The transformation was fleeting, attacking her in small torturing influxes of change. Waiting for the pain was nearly worse than the bone crushing alterations. The anticipation was sickening and left her to think of how she could end it all but she never be able to bring herself to do such a thing.

Lying flat on her back, her beastly hand sprawled across her stomach; she howled, sobbed and cursed until her throat was raw, torn and useless, pummelling the wooden floorboard below her with her normal hand. 

Breathing hard and almost sufficiently calmed after her destructive outburst, she glanced at the ceiling one more and attempted to sit up.

“Rey!” 

Rey gulped, her eyes widening at the sound of the familiar voice. Surely not, she must have misheard, imagined such a tempting visage. 

Ben was outside; the very person she had ran from to ensure his safety. He had followed her to hell’s door. No, surely it was not true, a symptom of her crazed mind perhaps, it was much too dangerous to entertain the possibility of him actually being in such close proximity to her whilst the fiendish changes took a hold of her. 

Working up the courage and strength to find her ruined voice, despite her vices was almost impossible. Growling, she brought herself up into a sitting position and pinched the bridge of her nose. Breathe. 

“Get away from here, now!” She shrieked, her temper flaring. She was indignant, inconsolable of how he could follow her to his doom, his reckoning. 

Despite her lack of control, she screamed and told herself she could not harm him. If she hurt one hair upon his head, she would not be able to live with herself, if any more harm came to him by her hands, it would drive and push her over the edge into the abyss that threatened to steal her, the darkness that wished to cradle and consume her. 

“Rey, I need you to come out here,” Ben’s booming voice silenced her screams.

Once again, she found herself compelled by his voice, a prisoner in her own body as her arms tore at the seat cushions as she pulled herself up, staggering to her feet. It was hard going, she fought every step but it did not matter, she was not in control of her body. Every step was like walking on glass, a fresh ebbing of hurt flourished deep within her. 

“Please, no. You have to get out of here whilst you can…you cannot help me,” she whispered as she once again hid behind a door from him. It was becoming a habit, a familiar and cowardly act. 

Ben heard her perfectly.

“Open the door,” Ben commanded; his voice was gruff, low and animalistic.

She shivered, goose bumps pebbling her blazing, drenched skin, a wicked contradiction and flung the door wide open, its hinges shrieking in protest. It was fitting.

She swayed on her grotesque, shifting limb and limped forward out of the shadows, revealing herself to Ben. It was as if she was naked and bare under his dark gaze, raw and vulnerable. She was stripped down to her bones, her soul on show and entirely under his scrutiny. Exposing herself to him in her changing state was far more frightening than anything she had ever endured.

The shame and humiliation was almost too much for her, the fear palpitating and heavy. It was a great struggle to meet his gaze but he wove a web and she was caught, unable to break the invisible chains of his haunting eyes and alluring voice. 

Lips quivering, she studied him as she had done hundreds of times before, his reactions a language only she was fluent in, a vicarious and passionate reader of all things him. 

She expected his features to be contorted in revulsion or fear. She anticipated a frightened man like the lamb who was lead to the slaughter, stunned in place after he stumbled across a monster, the monster being her and he a divine being, too pure for her attentions. 

Instead, it was just Ben.

 _Her Ben._

His regal features were contorted in a sense, his brow furrowed, his teeth working his full lips, drawing blood. She read him, she could have done so blind and her heart clenched upon realising he was worried about her. He gazed at her as if she was the sun, as if she was his life, his entire reason for existing. 

“Ben, please. I cannot control this, I do not want to hurt you,” she mumbled, pleading.

The words stung as soon as she said them, she did not want to push him away, to break his heart where he stood looking up at her but she was not willing to risk his safety.

She would rather burn alone than risk swallowing him up with her. 

Ben stepped forward, stopping at the bottom of the cabin’s steps and shook his head defiantly, firmly. Rey groaned, he gravitated to her as no one else had ever done before. She had to enlighten him, clear his vision to what he was walking into, she had barely survived her attack, and she could not bear to think of him bloody beneath her, lifeless in the dirt. 

“Can you not see I am a monster? I could hurt you, leave now!” She bit out, clenching her teeth together into a snarl. If she had to play mean to drive him away, to keep him safe, she would. 

Rey was furious, certain that Ben harboured some kind of death wish as he stood his ground, jutting his sharp chin boldly upwards.

Rey scowled, hissing as a fresh wave of cramps took hold of her stomach, and twisted her guts. It knocked the words and breath out of her, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as she steadied herself on the wooden railing, her pointed claws penetrating the decaying wood.

Ben was silent for a moment, his hands fisted at his sides, tapping against his muscled legs in a steady beat. The broad expanse of his chest heaved up and down as he closed his eyes, the corner of them twitching. 

“You cannot and will not hurt me, if you are a monster then I am the darkest beast of them all,” he whispered.

Confused, Rey scrutinised his words, mannerisms and odd proclamation. She staggered backwards, taking a sharp intake of breath as Ben Solo opened his eyes, revealing his crimson orbs to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uhh...well...let us summarise...mating mark, transformation and Ben revealing himself? The wolf is out of the bag.
> 
> *hides*
> 
> I want to thank each and everyone of you for sticking with me. Last week truly burned me out...admittedly I was close just to giving up and not continuing this but you were all there...spurring me on. It meant the world to me.
> 
> I kind of put my soul into the last bit of this chapter when Ben arrived...I am proud of it.
> 
> I would love it if you shared your thoughts and theories with me. Things are changing for these two...in a huge way. Let me know if you hate me for leaving you hanging too...anything!
> 
> We also have fan art...two beautiful pieces by spiegatrixlestrange so come on over to her or my tumblr -AlbaStarGazer and see our couple ;)


	8. Reborn

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben make it through the transformation, a confession and revelations end in heartbreaking consequences

For a moment, Rey stood, unable to move, think or avert her gaze from those hypnotic eyes. 

The storm that wreaked havoc with her crippled body only moments before, had stilled and lifted, the nightmare temporarily residing, as Ben stood tall like the sun, his crimson eyes calming all. Their depths rivalled the deepest oceans and Rey wanted to lose herself in them, to sink herself into a part of him and remain there until the end of her days. 

Ben was like _her_.

She was like _him._

It was a nasty visage, surely. A much-coveted daydream in her delirium. Rey staggered as if blinded by the confession and haunting sight before her, a mirror reaction of Ben’s only hours before. She caught herself before she fell, a contrast of how she was unable to catch Ben before his crown crashed against the tiles, spilling his burgundy wine. Gripping the wooden railing, she stood stunned, head hung low. The spell was broken, the calm shattered and strewn. A new storm brewed inside her, the hot rain breaking through her skin. The fever threatened to end her as it consumed her from the inside out. 

She shook her head; chin quivering as she blinked hot tears out of her failing vision. His admission ignited the fire in her and he stood and watched her burn. If possible, her body took on a more intense fever, her skin dripping hot embers of sweat onto the wood below her bare feet.

Despite the shock and chasm his confession forged in her mind, a part of her revelled at the sight of his startlingly peculiar and anomalous eyes, glowing fiercely and brighter with every moment of silence that passed between them. They called to her like beacons of light across the sea, guiding her forwards with the promise of purchase and anchorage. He was the land and her lost at sea. 

For she was not _alone_ in the world any longer. 

Ben could stand by her side, she would consume him and love him like no other had done before and he could light her way through the darkness, mentor her through her first steps as a creature, as something not entirely human. She dared to hope, to thirst for him, all of him.

She blinked a few times, her eyes fluttering open and closed as she peeked at him through her sweat-drenched locks. Wisps of heavy chestnut stuck to her face, obscuring her view of him. Sweeping them away with the back of her distorted, foreign hand, she stepped forward, uneasy like a wanting child.

“You know what is happening to me then?” She croaked out.

It was a statement, weighed heavy with curiosity and hope.

She groped and grasped to the idea that Ben, the man she had called saviour, the man who had stolen her heart, could help her. Maybe he knew of the pain and of the changes and struggle within her. She needed someone to understand stand her, desperately. 

Ben swallowing thickly, nodded, he did not waver. 

“I can help you, I can guide you through the change,” he informed her, stepping forward until he could not move forward any longer. 

Rey watched him curiously, as he lifted his arm and pushed against something unseen, something he could not pass through.

It dawned upon her like a kick in the gut. 

“You cannot get in…the stones,” she breathed out, losing herself to another place in time. 

_Little Rey Kenobi danced around the garden, running laps around the cabin whilst humming a tune. Always one to enjoy the freedom outdoors offered, she bounced on her bare feet, red faced and breathless as she rounded the corner before coming to a stop._

_In front of her, her grandfather kneeled on the plush grass digging a small, precise circular hole. He had been digging holes all afternoon; this was the fifth and final one._

_With a devilish smirk, the young girl ran and leapt upon her unsuspecting grandfather’s back and wrapped her bony arms around his neck, giggling into the warm, sun tanned skin. It reminded her of old leather._

_Ben Kenobi nearly fell forward but he caught her, grumbling as he stood and spun them in a circle. Rey shrieked and held on for dear life and the man chuckled, despite the heat and tiredness he felt, his Rey, his little bit of sunshine, was his everything and he could not help the rush of joy he felt._

_“I am going to hurl!” Rey lied; nuzzling herself closer and fake retched._

_Old Ben Kenobi was not fooled but he set her down on the grass regardless and checked his pocket to make sure the stone was still there. It was._

_“Why are you putting the pretty stones in the ground? They are too pretty to be kept in the mud,” Rey asked curiously and slipped her tiny fingers into his pocket and swiped the moon stone from him._

_He arched his brows at her skill but he sat down, patting the spot next to him. Rey huffed, blowing wisps of her unruly hair out of her face and wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her hand. She plopped down beside him and leaned against into his side, fingering the smooth treasure with the pad of her thumb._

_“These stones are very important. They are special, very precious,” he began, watching Rey as she brought the stone an inch away from her eye as she peered into it._

_“Why are they so important?” The young girl asked, looking at the odd spot of red in the middle of the otherwise clear, translucent stone. It shimmered under the light, shining with the sun._

_She shook it and the red liquid moved within the confined space._

_“It protects people. It will keep us from harm,” he explained._

_“How can it protect us? You are putting it in the dirt! I could throw it at someone and that could keep me safe!” Rey proclaimed, sitting up straighter, tempted to try out her aim._

_Her grandfather pried the stone from her impossibly strong grasp and laughed._

_“I am sure you could! But this works in a better way, it keeps our home safe from people who could harm us.”_

_Rey, not quite understanding how such a little stone could do that, narrowed her eyes._

_“How can it do that?”_

_“You see that little bit of red? There is Kenobi blood infused inside of it. When I put these five stones into the right shape-“_

_“-the star shape!” Rey interrupted, remembering how she helped him pin point the places to dig earlier. She looked on with curiosity at the blood, her family blood._

_“It is called a pentagram but yes, it forms a star,” Ben supplied._

_Rey’s face screwed up in confusion, still no closer to understanding how it would help her._

_“So you make a star shape around the cabin with the pretty moonstones and no one can hurt us?”_

_Her grandfather wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his lap._

_“Yes, so you cannot dig them up, no matter how tempted you are. If you move just one, they will not work.”_

_“Does it protect us from monsters?” Rey asked, thinking of the creatures in her nightmares._

_Ben inclined his head thoughtfully and clicked his tongue._

_“Yes, I suppose it does,” he said, his voice thick as they both looked dead ahead into the woods beyond the cabin._

Back in the present, Rey shook the remnants of the past from her mind. 

The stones were protecting her from harm, just as her grandfather said they would. Her world spun as she came to a startling realisation. They were the reason she had survived the night of the attack, the stones had barred the wolves from entering and finishing what they had started. The memory that she had always wrote off, as just a story had been real. Her grandfather…he knew of them.

_“Does it protect us from monsters?”_

The wolves were the monsters. He said they would keep them out. Rey fought the urge to vomit, the truth almost too much. If he lied to her about their existence, what else had he lied to her about? It hurt to consider. 

Could she let Ben in the cabin? She had not dared to even glance in the direction of the memorised spots of grass that contained the stones beneath them. If Ben could not pass, did it mean he was a danger to her? Did he mean her harm? Or was it just because he was a wolf? She was becoming one and yet she could pass through freely. It must have been the blood within the stone, it protected her blood and that meant she could pass. 

No. She fiercely and aggressively flung that idea out of her mind. Almost angry with herself for thinking such a thing, it was like blasphemy on her tongue, a sinful thought. Ben had been her saviour once. He was the man she had loved for years, who she had lost some of her heart and soul to willingly. 

She lurched forward, another fresh strain of agony coiled deep in her muscle. Losing her balance, she fell forward, her enlarged leg twisting as she tumbled down the stairs. As soon as her body broke through the threshold of the moonstone’s perimeter, she was pulled into Ben’s arms, his mammoth hands yanking her from the ground as if it was the depths of hell itself.

“I am so sorry,” he breathed into her hair.

Rey sobbed, her clammy hands gripping his forearm, her lifeline. 

“I do not think I can do this Ben,” she whispered.

The truth hurt. Would she survive the transformation? Her body could only take so much, it had its limits and she felt like she was too deep, too close to crossing them. She would surely lose herself and her heart would still. It was not a bad way to go, in the arms of the man she loved with the sun beating down on her and the smell of fresh grass filling her senses. Maybe this was heaven.

Contradictory to her thoughts of her death, her heart hammered away, against her chest, pumping life into her as she squirmed and Ben cradled her like a newborn babe, stilling her as best as he could. She shrieked thrashing her limbs as a fresh hot pain skewered her insides and tore her muscles and bone, adjusting and realigning what was inside.

Ben raised her chin with his forefinger, leaned his forehead to hers, and rocked them, his eyes ablaze.

“Yes you can, you are the strongest person I have ever come across. You need to fight. Stay with me,” he spoke lowly, tears forming in his eyes.

Rey smiled and caught a tear; she brought it to her mouth and kissed it.

“You’re my sun, I need you with me,” he admitted hoarsely, cupping her face, both despising and treasuring the warmth of it. 

It was an admittance of his love, she knew that. He loved her as she did him. 

“Then you are my moon Ben Solo,” she sighed in between the spasms, lost in the depths of love and pain.

Ben held on to her tighter, willing her to fight, to survive. It was not uncommon for someone to not survive the ordeal of the first transition, the hardest transformation of all, even the strongest alphas could fall prey to the agony, their heart stilling permanently. 

“Tell me how to deal with this pain,” she whispered, drunk on the sight of his face so close to hers. She was floating, blissful for a moment in his loving embrace.

“Close your eyes.”

It was not hard, not when she was tired, sore and wanted to close them forever. She closed them and breathed through her nose, the pain spiking.

“Imagine an ocean Rey,” he began.

Rey willed herself into a place beyond her body, far from the pain. Their minds merged as Ben willed himself into her conscious. 

She pictured the ocean, a tranquil one with nothing in sight except for a lonesome island, the waves crashing softly against it.

“I see, I see the island,” Ben crooned to her.

She imagined herself as the waves, lolling in tranquillity.

“We should go there Ben,” she sighed, revelling in the idea.

They would swim all day, make love upon the sand and sleep under the stars.

“We will, I promise sweetheart,” his voice seemed so far away, murky somehow, drowned by the ocean.

She imagined herself falling into the ocean, lost to its cooling depths. Time moved quickly there, spurring and jolting her in the abyss. The pain was gone. 

She opened her eyes and swallowed.

Ben had moved from her, she was on her side but she felt different…larger. Gazing down, she saw why.

She was no longer human, at least in form. In front of her were two long legs, finishing with even bigger paws. It was disorientating but comfortable as if she had shed the strain and worry. She was free.

Ben watched on as she lifted her head, her golden eyes boring onto him. He remained in human form, his shirt tattered and torn. He had refused to leave her during the transition and he bore the evidence with an aura of pride. 

She cocked her head to the side as she stumbled onto her four legs, she was like a newborn foal, unsteady but determined. She fell on her first try, still unused to using her limbs in this way but with Ben looking on, an expectant look on his face, she tried again. On her second try, she rose, perching herself up with a new confidence and bowed her head to him. It felt like a natural thing to do. 

A tentative smile played on his lips as he motioned towards the small pond at the back of her house. Instinctively knowing what he meant, she bounded towards the water and threw herself, testing her new limbs until she reached it. It had taken but seconds. 

Curiously, she peered over the edge and gazed upon her reflection. Instead of tawny sun kissed skin, chestnut waves and hazel eyes, she was greeted by the long face of a wolf, stark white and golden eyes. Speechless, she stood back, gazing at her whole form. She was large but not as large as the wolves she had seen but graceful, with an air of regally in her features. White like new winter snow, she was quite the sight. Her fur was thick, an almost translucent sheen to it and her tail was long. She nosed the water with her face, half expecting the wolf to disappear. 

“You are beautiful. I have never seen a wolf completely white before,” Ben mused from beside her; he had snuck up on her.

She eyed him as he stood, hands in his pockets as he hands fidgeted within them.

He was nervous, she could practically smell it. She averted her gaze from the enchanting site of her wolf form and rounded upon him, circling as she tried to disconcert his worry. 

In this form, her eyesight was much finer, sharper and because she knew how to read him so well, she drank in the details about him. He circled as she did, following her and never taking his eyes from her but he had removed his hands from his pockets and let them hang in fists by his side.

She lifted her head to scrutinise his face, his most vulnerable feature.

Although his eyes gleamed crimson, they seemed off, almost jittery as if her gaze was too much for him to handle. His lips were his biggest giveaway; he worked them, pressing them together.

What was wrong with him? It unnerved her, scared her to no end. She was not used to seeing Ben so flustered, so obviously scared. 

_“Are you okay?” she was unsure if he could hear her thoughts._

Ben of course heard her; he nodded and moved towards her with hesitant steps. When she stopped her circling, he kneeled in front of her and raised his hand an inch away from her face. 

“Can I?”

He wanted to touch her. It thrilled Rey to no end, desperate to feel his hand upon her new form, to taint her with his flesh. 

With a small huff and inclination of her head, she moved into his touch and he caressed her face, his fingers moving delicately along the exquisite coat. He was obviously still in awe of her colouring and she beamed with satisfaction, glad to garner such a response from him.

_“You can hear my thoughts. Can everyone do that?” She thought inquisitively._

It seemed Ben’s talents had no end; maybe he really could move oceans or give her the moon.

Ben shook his head and smoothed the fur behind her neck, the way the sun reflected off the light of her fur bewitched him. His eyes were almost unseeing and the sight was enough to send ripples of heat throughout Rey’s new body, it was an odd feeling. She relished and felt every sensation; each movement brought a new sense of satisfaction. Ben’s hands would surely drive her mad, into a lustful insanity that only he could conquer. 

“Not everyone, betas tend to be unable to tune the skill. As an alpha, the art of mind reading has come easy to me, most of us can communicate telepathically which does come in useful when we are in our other forms,” he explained, engrossed in his actions. 

He was not easy on Rey, stroking and scratching her ears with his heavy hands until she felt like she was going to combust. He was hitting all the right spots.

The information was interesting. The idea of him being able to sift through her thoughts with ease caused quite a contradictive reaction in her. On one hand, it seemed only fair. She had spent years reading him vicariously, his finest and only student, she could read him with subtle body movements and she had tuned the skill into a fine art. She imagined she could read Ben even if she was blind and deaf, she envisioned running her hands along the expanse of his chest and waiting for the heaving that accompanied his nervousness, or tracing his lips with her own and biting them as he quivered in the throes of lust.

On the other hand, her mind was a sanctuary, something that did not deserve to be accessed without resistance. Being the stubborn woman she was, she envisioned her mind and fabricated a fortress in it, she built the walls sturdy and high, no room for cracks or slithering intruders. It was a beautiful display of her power. She grew it taller and taller, visualising it until it reached the highest peak of darkness, impenetrable by all. 

Coyly, she viewed him, dared him to respond and attempt an infiltration. Had it worked?

Ben’s mouth gaped open in shock, his roaming hands coming to a standstill. 

“You are blocking me!” He admonished in disbelief but he smiled playfully, beaming with pride. 

Rey flourished and blossomed with her new awakening and pride filled her. She was blocking an alpha. A beta was blocking an alpha. She moved forward, licking his face and he fell backwards as she stood over him, nuzzling her nose into his skin. He tasted like heaven upon tongue, the sweetest kind of prey.

He smelled remarkably good, the rich scent of firewood and pine filling her nostrils even more so in this form. Everything was heightened. She licked at his neck a few times and he groaned, his eyes rolling in the back of his head as she dominated him, an alpha, he was completely vulnerable beneath her.

“Rey.”

She liked the sound of her name on his lips, even more so with him being under her. 

He opened his eyes, the crimson a raging fire now, his teeth sharpening and elongating before her eyes.

_“I want to see you,” Rey begged, desperate to see the animal that was within him._

Ben stilled his breathing deep and ragged, like a man with something to hide. 

“I do not know if I can show you who I am Rey,” Ben confessed as he sat up, leaning back on his elbows.

That threw her; she stepped away from him and eyed him with a new raw curiosity. She had bared herself to him, shared her soul and dared to believe he loved her. Had she been wrong? She wanted to see every part of him, explore his other form and admire his beauty like he had done with her. 

“I love you,” Ben whispered, standing, his voice sure and even. 

Rey shook her head. She had wanted to hear those words for years. They threatened to both break and make her. He loved her, it was all she desired and craved and as a woman starved, she consumed the words, replaying them in her mind and tucked them away. It would be her most treasured memory, a precious bounty of only three words meaning more than the world itself. 

“I have loved you for years,” he continued, stalking towards her. 

She stepped back as he advanced upon her.

“I could not bear to hurt you and reveal what I was. You deserved a normal life; I wanted you more than I ever thought I could want another. You consume my every thought.”

Rey stilled. The words were a victory, a much-coveted confession that shot her straight in the heart, nestling deep within the organ and warming it considerably. It beat for him.

Ben began to shed his clothes, watching her as he unbuttoned his ruined shirt tantalisingly slow before discarding it at his feet. 

The sight of him was like the moon on a summer evening, long awaited and desperately yearned after. Her mouth grew dry as she inspected every new inch of him, she wanted to memorise every detail, every passage of flesh upon him. His broad shoulders heaved as he stripped his belt from his hips with a quick tug that both startled and thrilled Rey, the anticipation was too much. 

Her heart soared and caught in her throat, as she demanded more of him, near enough begged him to reveal what was underneath. More, she needed more. 

He unbuttoned his trousers and let them drop to his ankles in a movement that Rey was entirely convinced was too graceful for a man his size. He stood out of them and kicked his socks and shoes off, leaving him almost entirely bare under her scrutiny.

He was baring his soul to her as she had with him. She drank in every detail, the scattering of moles and beauty marks on his proud shoulders, his thick waist and hips, strong, manly and thick with well-earned muscle. She lingered upon his flat stomach, counting the abs she sound there. She wanted to taste him, pull him to her. His long legs were seemingly never ending; his thighs were as thick as she imagined they would be, a perfect seat, a throne for her to sit upon and take her place as his queen. 

Unable to stop herself, her eyes settled on his boxer shorts, the outline of his thick alpha cock almost intimidating, it would split her to the bone, surely. It would carve a path inside her, his searing hot heat branding her insides. She wondered if she would ever walk right again after he claimed the place deep within her that no man had ever been permitted to enter. She had no doubt that it would leave her empty; aching in a feverish need for him to fill the space, his space, with every second they were separated from their lover’s union. It jutted against the confining fabric, growing under her unabashed gaze and Rey cocked her head, entranced by it. It was hers. 

“Look at me,” Ben interrupted her carnal imaginings and she obeyed, looking into his bestial eyes filled with his own kind of want. 

“I will be sorry until my dying day; I will never stop trying to earn your forgiveness although I know I do not deserve such a grace,” Ben spoke quietly, his eyes and words faltering with the admission. 

The words dampened her arousal as if a lake of icy water had been instilled in her blood. She shivered and regained her senses, no longer overcome by the insatiable longing she had felt only seconds before. A haze was lifted.

Confused, Rey stepped forward hoping to reassure Ben that he could not scare her, that she loved him regardless of what he was, what they were. 

Ben lurched forward in the throes of the change. The display impressed her, inevitably a far more fluid performance than what her own had been. His pale skin erupted into a mass of midnight fur and muscled limbs, a wolf far larger than her own. He was a giant and her the mouse. 

The realisation and recognition was almost immediate.

It killed her, crippled her.

Flashes of the night she wished to forget found their way to the forefront of her mind, the red beast, her screaming beneath him and the hopelessness she felt when a second appeared, the one as dark as night itself, the one who clamped their vicious canines into her forearm. 

_“You!” she growled, snarling at Ben._

Ben was the black beast from the woods, the one who had joined the red beast in her attack. He had bit her! He had sank his teeth into her with no concern and left his mark on her for all to see. 

Ben was the one responsible for her changing into a wolf. 

Ben was partly responsible for the hurt, the damage to her mind and the changes within her. The fear she had felt, the way she curled into herself and could barely face the outside was because of him. He had taken her life and threw her into a new one and he had done it all without a word or a ghost of a whisper of his sin. 

The betrayal was almost too much to handle, she had thought the transformation had been difficult, how she begged for death because of it but this was much worse. This killed whatever hope she had inside her, extinguished it like a candle.

Her first instinct was to run. 

She had hid and run from Ben too many times and it was fast becoming a habit. It was a cowardly option to even consider, she knew that. 

_“Rey, I can explain,”_ his desperate voice filled her mind and she snapped, losing the tiny grip she had on herself.

_“Explain! You did this to me! Do you know how much you have hurt me?” she shrieked into his mind, he stilled upon hearing them._

__

__

_“You watched me fall apart before your eyes, comforted me and you were behind it all, you kept it from me!”_

Rey paced, itching to hurt him as he had her. The anger fuelled her every move.

 _“I know but I did not realise I had bitten you until today. I am sorry.”_ Ben whispered, his voice a ghost in her head.

That maddened her even more and despite the massive size difference between them, she circled him like prey. What good were his apologies? An apology could not change how he had scarred her, physically and emotionally and left her crying in the dark like a lost child.

 _“Your words mean nothing! Not when you lied to me. Do you know I hurt so much I wanted to die? I wanted to end the life my mother gave to me because of the pain, the torment. I am losing my mind,”_ she spat bitterly.

Ben moved slowly towards her, they circled each other, neither willing to bend. He was antsy, pent up; his body language told her all.

 _“Rey…I did not know what was happening. I did not realise what you were going through until it was too late and the change was upon you,”_ he was desperate.

Rey snarled, inching her nose closer to his.

His wolf form was intimidating, the sheer size a factor in their game but she was not scared, for she could not fear what was in front of her. An alpha through and through but inside was a scared man, grasping and reaching out for her.

_“You bit me and didn’t tell me! If you had told me-“_

_“I was trying to save you! When I saw him upon you, I saw red. Did you think it was easy for me to see you nearly torn apart?”_ Ben finally snapped, growling incessantly.

Rey growled straight back.

 _“Maybe you should not have intervened, I would have been better off dead!”_ She screamed straight back.

She was delusional, lying she knew but a part of her thought it; maybe she should have met her end under the moon and embraced by darkness.

Ben’s wolf shook furiously, rearing his head back as he rounded upon her, making her kneel into submission. He was an alpha, every bit of one and his very presence demanded some ancient kind of subservient urge in her, she lowered her head, averting her eyes. 

_“Do not say that again!”_

His words were so loud, furious as the anger took a hold of him. 

She was kneeling in front of him feeling every bit of the beta she was, subservient and lower than the mighty alpha before her. She had never seen him so angry, so lost in fiery rage. Despite how little she felt, it felt right but her mind urged her to challenge him, provoke or hurt him.

Shaking, she lifted her head and gazed into his penetrating eyes, his teeth were bared, an attempt to keep her submitted but she was defiant and stood tall once again, chin levelled skywards.

She moved forward until their noses touched, any other time Rey would have melted at the proximity but touching him was an insult, an insult to the alpha in front of her. 

_“You have no say over what happens in my life anymore.”_

It killed her to say it, to even think it.

Ben flinched, his teeth no longer bared.

She had shot him in the heart.

_“I am sorry, the bite was accidental but I will not regret my decision to save you.”_

She had enough of his words, his apologies, she was done.

Turning swiftly, she moved towards the cabin, the one place she could shut him out. Ben moved to stop her, nipping her tail with his teeth, an alpha would never stoop so low but for Rey, he would. 

Indignant and enraged over him attempting to stop her, Rey burst, imploded with a fresh new anger and turned, throwing her clawed paw through the air. The sharp digits collided with Ben’s face, slicing a path from his chin to forehead.

Ben howled, falling to his side. Immediately his wolf form shattered around him, leaving his pale human form in its wake, so much more vulnerable and more like the man she had once called saviour. 

Rey gasped, falling with him. She hit the grass with a thud and rolled, realising she too in her anguish had inexplicably reverted to her human form. Bringing her hands to her face, she near enough died when yet again, her fingertips were oozing and caked with another’s blood…Ben’s blood.

The anger dissipated immediately and she shot into action, rolling on her stomach and then knees, she crawled to Ben, his body contorted in pain, blood covered his face completely. 

“I am sorry,” she sobbed, unwilling to touch him.

The idea of her hands on him sickened her; she would only cause him pain. 

She inspected the damage, one cut was deeper than the rest, it narrowly missed his eye but it had torn open his pale skin, dissecting it and opening it to the air. 

“Don’t be, I will heal,” he groaned, spitting blood out of his mouth. He sounded so nonchalant, more concerned for her welfare than his own. 

The guilt was too much, too heavy. Rey’s shoulders drooped with the invisible weight and curled inwards, a bitter taste souring her mouth. 

Rey raked her hands through her hair, near hysterical as she watched his wounds knit together, his obsidian eyes almost glazed over as his breaths came out in quick little gasps. 

She was a monster.

Standing, she shrieked into the woods, cursing herself to the sky above until she could scream no more, it all hurt so much. 

Ben sat up and moved to touch her. She flinched from his touch and backed away from him, scared she would poison him. 

“Please stay away from me,” she begged, unable to face the reminder of her anger.

Ben shook his head.

“You know I cannot, Rey, I love you and I can help you with all this,” he begged, his voice thick with unshed tears, he could not lose her. 

Rey bit her lip and looked towards the cabin; maybe she could outrun him, hide herself like the coward she was and never leave again.

She turned, stalking towards it with Ben following her behind her. Despite the devastating wound she inflicted, he moved much faster, surprising her. 

He yanked her wrist, stilling her once more, anchoring her to him. 

“Don’t leave me, please,” He sobbed then, a foreign sound to both of their ears.

Rey turned, her own tears streaming down her face, her cheeks and eyes red with grief. 

“I will never forgive myself for what I did to you,” she admitted, hiccupping and grimacing at the sight of his blood. 

“There is nothing to be forgiven!” Ben insisted, squeezing her hand in his. How many times had she imagined their hands entwined, their pulses moving as one.

“I don’t know if I can forgive you for what you did to me,” she mumbled, quickly snatching her hand from his bruising hold. 

Ben breathed out, clenching his fists at his sides. 

“I love you.”

“I know…that makes this harder, it is killing me.”

She turned once again and Ben’s desperation got the better of him, he used the only thing he could think of. 

“Stay with me!” he ordered, he used the alpha command, the magical compulsion.

Rey felt the compulsion take hold of her. She realised it was indeed an alpha trick, a power he possessed. He had used it before to make her open the door, to calm her and make her obey him. She appreciated it then but not now. She clenched her teeth, sweating as she fought the order. She shook with exertion. 

Looking over her shoulder with a new strength inside her, she gazed at him one last time.

“That alpha trick will not work this time. Let me go,” She said quietly.

Ben choked behind her but stopped his pursuit, his world crumbling apart around him. 

She took off running until she reached the cabin, slamming the door behind her and fell to a heap on the floor in anguish, tears and grief.

Outside Ben dropped to his knees and howled into the night.

She remained on the floor until the trauma of the day both physically and emotionally took hold of her and she could not stay awake any longer.

She was alone once again. 

xxx

Sleeping was difficult, caught somewhere between her aching exhaustion and images of Ben bloody below her, her nightmares returned with a vengeance. In them, Ben was still on the ground, his face torn and unmoving. The healing did not take and his life was lost to the earth below him. The grass turned black, drenched and soiled with his life’s essence, soaking it with maroon tears. Rey had ran, calling for him to wake but each time she came close, the ground swallowed him up, his pale form disappearing into the darkness. She always hurtled herself in after him but found nothing, both of them lost to the darkness.

She was tormented and wracked by the grief and guilt; she would never forget how she maimed him or how he begged her to stay by his side, despite the pain she caused him. It was all too much. The suffocating waves of shame flooded her and she was not sure how much longer she could play pretend and keep her head above it all. The attack, the change and Ben’s confession had crushed her spirit, leaving a vulnerable shadow in her place, one whose light was flickering and wavering in the night. 

All of the anger towards Ben had depleted the moment she struck him, all the confusion, and hurt, buried deep inside his skin by her own hand. She had marked him as he had her, left a trace of herself upon his unblemished skin and rooted herself into his soul. 

Left in its place was a profound sadness. Sadness for what could have been, mourning for the life she could have lived if she had not been cursed by a bite and gifted a new life. A deep melancholy clutched her heart as she thought of all the possibilities she was bereaved of and how the truth was kept from her. She found herself unable to discern what hurt more, the bite or Ben’s deception. It was not worth considering; it would not change a thing.

Morning arrived with the false promise of a new beginning. Sunlight scattered around the cabin, waking Rey with its warm caress, no matter how much she tried to avoid her. Sometime during the night, she had managed to drag herself into bed and had not moved since. 

However, Rey Kenobi was not going to regress into her old, worn coping method of hiding from the world. She was tired of playing the part of the fearful child or the wilting flower, slowly waiting for death. With her broken heart, still fresh from its bruising, she mustered her strength, some of her steely resolve and dragged herself from under the small heap of blankets. She stretched, feet slapping the old wood and opened the curtains, embracing the light fully. 

She stood there for some time, basking in its glow as if it could heal her damaged insides. The decision to move forward was determined, something she needed to do. Knowing she was in dire need of someone to spill her story to, minus the obvious details of her change, she walked away from the window and went in search of her bag. She found it beside the door and dipped down on her knees to retrieve it.

The closest and dearest people in her life, excluding Ben, were out of the country, vacationing around Europe for another two weeks. Automatically, they were out of the question. Deciding against her gut instinct, she rummaged in her purse and dug out her phone. The screen lit up, full of missed calls, voicemails and texts from Ben. She could not face him; even dare to think of him. The pain in her heart numbed as she dismissed the notifications and looked upon the glossy black card with claret red lettering. She brushed the name; an involuntary shiver took hold of her spine like a spirit brushing over her grave. Professional help was her only option it seemed. 

After some well thought out contemplation, she pushed herself to seek help, a foreign concept to Rey, someone who had depended only on her grandfather until his sudden death the year before. 

Dialling the number, she sucked in a lungful of air as she felt her anxiety spike and waited for an answer.

A chipper, female voice came from across the line like a sweet cherub and greeted her. 

“Hello, my name is Reyna Kenobi. I was given this business card by Dr Mitaka; I was hoping to book an appointment with Dr Alistair Snoke.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hides*
> 
> My main goal of this chapter was to make you feel. Not going to lie, I cried writing that final scene between Rey and Ben...
> 
> Did I make you feel? Frustrated? Sad? Angry? Let me know. This was without a doubt the hardest chapter to write but it needed to happen...we needed it for them to progress. 
> 
> Don't be too hard on Rey...she needed someone to blame. She has gone through hell and knowing he was behind it all...even if she doesn't realise it was an accident etc was too much for her. She is dealing with undiagnosed PTSD.
> 
> Soo...let me know your thoughts, theories, your feelings. I need a hug and I am offering free ones. 
> 
> oh...and fuck Snoke!


	9. Nightmare

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben struggle to cope separately.
> 
> The pack is dealt worrying news and Rey makes an important discovery in the cabin.

A week passed without any contact between the two. It was not for a lack of trying; Rey’s phone was almost permanently lit up with an endless stream of messages, calls and voicemails from Ben. One night, unable to resist his siren’s call any longer, she decided upon turning off her phone and then tucked it away at the bottom of her purse. 

Despite everything, she missed him but she felt incapable of facing him, although it was an inevitable occurrence. She knew that in time she would go to him with another whispered apology and a thousand questions on the tip of her poisoned tongue, the one in which she used to spout out blasphemy and break his heart. 

Arranging an appointment with Dr Snoke was easier than she expected, apparently, his personal secretary was expecting her call, which surprised her but it quickened the process, after a few minutes of conversing, they settled on a date and time that suited her schedule. That was not difficult, she was still on leave from work and holed up in her cabin, Rey found herself almost idle, stagnant in a changing world whilst she stood completely still. Free time was an oddity, a luxury she had never been afforded whilst she worked her way through college and then entered her workplace on a permanent basis. 

She used her time wisely. The day after Ben’s confession, Rey stuck to her new resolve, to embrace her new life, if not with a little hesitation, and drove back to the city, packed a bag and returned to the cabin. It was a dwelling that offered security, warmth and familiarity, somewhere she deemed appropriate enough for her to learn about her new abilities without being overwhelmed by the brimming population or intense noises and sights of the city.

It also kept other wolves from her, so it was ideal.

Instead of returning to her bed and hiding, willing the time away in the darkness, she woke early each day, the sun her natural awakener. She spent a great deal of time in front of her window, basking in the warmth of the sun as she came to, the light seeped into her skin and readied her for the day. 

Some days were harder than the rest, the nightmares she had thought she had shook, conquered as a young girl, had returned with a new ferocity, each featuring her lost in the woods and running for her life. She shuddered despite the heat, goose bumps pebbling her skin as she moved away from the window and welcomed the new day.

She sat for a moment in what had been her mother’s rocking chair and cradled her head in between her knees. The leftover adrenaline from such a vivid dream was nearly too much, a wave of nausea accompanied it and she wanted to retch her system and mind clean. The guilt was something else that crept up on her. She would never forget Ben curled on the ground, bare, porcelain skin torn and stained vermillion by her hand.

Shaking, she rocked back and forth, blowing hard out of her mouth.

She would never forget how his charcoal eyes rimmed red with tears, glazed over from the pain, the agony. Ben had looked at her as if she was some kind of celestial being who had come to collect him from the battlefield, all the while she was the one who shot him down, cemented him to the dirt with her own bloody hands, her claws her weapon of choice.

Opening her eyes, she glared at her offending hands. No longer clawed or a vicious weapon, they were slender and topped with trim, angular nails. Unfurling them, she worked her fingers, clenching them into fists at the mere sight of them. 

She had scrubbed them clean the week before, an arduous task she had spent hours perfecting and then eventually failed. How could she live, make progress with Ben’s blood on her hands? It was unimaginable feat and so she had scrubbed her hands red, a hot pink under steaming hot water with an infinite dousing of soap. 

However, after she cleaned them, mindful to take special care under her nails, she found them unclean, still marked with the sight of his blood, a seemingly permanent fixture. In a frenzy, she had even bleached them, certain that there was something malfunctioning about the soap or the water. Anything to explain such a stigmata.

Nothing helped.

A week later, she still carried the weight of her sin against Ben. Markings she feared she would never be rid of, she was destined to wear his blood like the scar she inflicted upon him.

Huffing, she stood and dropped her heavy hands to her side and decided to take on the task she had been avoiding for a week. With her appointment with Dr Snoke the following day, she needed to prepare the bathroom, clean it for use and scrub every trace of her attack from its walls. Although the space, much like herself, had been defiled, she would work to cleanse it, to make it her safe place once again. 

The task would occupy her mind or so she hoped. Arms full of cleaning supplies, she prepared herself. Stepping into the large room, she set about storing away her grandfather’s first aid kit, a bulky khaki box; she placed it back into the cabinet, mindful not to step in the ruined, bloodied rug. Sighing, she rolled it up, grimacing when she realised just how much of her blood had soaked into it. If it was not for Ben, she would have died out there and she knew that now. Without his bite, his encouragement to move away from the deathly door, she would have died alone in a bathtub.

The thought unnerved her. Had Ben paced outside the cabin, unable to gain entry as she bled out? She would have driven herself mad if it had been the other way around. 

Shaking her head, she perched herself on her knees and diluted the bleach accordingly in a little bucket. Then she scrubbed, working her whole body as she scrubbed away the evidence, scoured the tiles as the burn of the bleach made her eyes water and nose run. Her arms burned and shook with the exertion, a sign of the ferocity in which she worked. She needed this, she needed to start anew but some part of her shrivelled, ached when she realised that some of the blood splayed and spilled, dried around her like a crude ritual circle, was shed by Ben. 

He had torn into her with his mighty teeth and triggered the change within her; it did not matter if it was accidental. She acknowledged it had been an accident, Ben was adamant about that and in spite of his hearty betrayal, she knew that he was truthful in that sentiment. If only he had told her! The moment she had showed him the bite he had to have known that he had inflicted it. The moment she recalled her attack to him and cried into his loving embrace, he could have told her that he knew what or who attacked her and she would have worked to believe, to forgive. Instead he had cradled her, guided her through the change when she thought death was upon her, the fever too high for her weakened body. It was something that caused a chasm in her thinking; he had eventually revealed himself as the wolf as dark as the night itself, a contrast to her creature of white, and she had never felt more drawn to him.

Growling, she squeezed the sponge harder, bleach seeping into some shallow cuts on her hand but she continued, hoping that the burn and mindless work would distract her enough.

She spent another hour in there and did not stop until every surface gleamed and the mirror shone much brighter than she had ever seen before. 

Still, the blood remained on her hands. Opting to avoid her reflection, she washed her hands countless times, more rough than she had ever done before. It was all in her head, she knew that but it was a sight of horror, a visual symbolic of the guilt that eroded her insides and ate her whole. 

Shoving away from the marble counter, she swept up the cleaning supplies and returned them to their rightful place. Fed up and tired, she worked diligently and walked into the living room, hands on her hips. She was exhausted but restless, a perfect contradiction. Eyeing the mantle, she walked toward it and stopped, studying one of the photos. It was Ben and she at their annual company picnic.

Her heart ached as she pulled it towards her, clenching the dainty silver frame close. He loved her and she him. They had been so blind to it, even then. In the photo, Ben had an arm slung around her shoulder, fireworks erupted behind them and she was holding a beer up to her lips.

She had never noticed before that he was not looking towards the camera; he was looking at her, like a man bewitched, a soft smile gracing his features. His eyes told a story of a million words, his dark eyes revealed that he loved her, even then.

A lone tear fell down her cheek and she wiped it roughly, clearing her throat as she placed it back on the mantel.

Stepping back, a floorboard creaked below her, something not entirely unusual for the old cabin. She bounced on the balls of her feet and then stopped, curious.

The rug was old, colourful and heavy so she pulled it back with care. Underneath it sat a few boards that looked entirely out of place, disjointed from the rest. A metal handle was indented into the wood so as impulsive as ever, she pulled it open.

It was a trap door. Not one for contemplation, she leaned down into the dark place beneath the cabin, coughing when a cloud of dust invaded her lungs. Her superior eyesight aided her well and she noticed a large, wooden trunk sat in the small space.

Diving in, she tugged it and lugged it out of the space, grunting under the weight of it all. It was heavy, her muscles ached after weeks of underuse and neglect but she managed to haul it out and sat it beside her. 

It was beautiful. 

It was rich in colour, a deep mahogany. She ran her finger along the carvings of the wood, a sea of trees and leaves decorating its surface. She attempted to lift the top but it would not open. She bit her lip and spun it, looking for a place to put a key in but found nothing. 

The front was most memorising of all. Along the front were the intricately carved symbols of the alpha, omega and beta. She recognised the beta one immediately, having been a beta all of her life. The symbol was painted black, dark like the wood, making it almost passable, the unimportant one of the three. The alpha and omega symbols sat below the Kenobi crest. 

Therefore, she deduced it belonged to her grandfather and now it was hers. She eyed the crest she knew like the back of her hand and then gazed at the symbols carved below it. The alpha symbol was coloured a deep red, a dark crimson. The omega was lighter, gold in appearance and it shimmered like the sun at its peak.

She wondered what was hidden inside; her curiosity was awake and peaked. She spent a good hour trying to pry the lid open, to locate a possible place where a keyhole was hidden but came up empty.

Admitting defeat, she grumbled and stood up, pointing at the trunk.

“I will get you open,” she told it and stalked towards her bedroom.

She was not one to nap but she was exhausted. She wanted to be well rested for her appointment with Dr Snoke the next day so she crawled underneath the blankets and slumbered, eventually drifting to sleep. 

_Ben appeared, standing next to her in the cabin and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her to him._

_“What’s wrong?”_

_“Did you not hear that?” Rey asked in disbelief, his senses were keener than hers._

_Another scream filled the space and Rey took off, shaking his arms from her._

_Ben followed behind her, he attempted to keep her in the cabin but she was fast and flew down the steps and into the woods._

_“Rey, get in the cabin,” Ben urged, holding her wrist._

_A snap of a twig and a scratch in her neck._

_She touched it, pulling the dart from her skin and looked at Ben._

_His eyes widened as he dropped to the ground like a rock and clutched his own neck, eyes rolling in the back of his head._

_“Run, Rey, run!” He begged._

_“Ben!”_

She awoke to darkness.

“Ben!” she screamed.

Breathing hard, she rolled onto her side. 

Alone, another night alone with only her nightmares as company.

xxx

Ben was inconsolable.

Therefore, he reverted into himself, his inner wolf wounded and angry, left to lick and tend his wounds. He let Kylo surface, to face the world in his place and everyone had noticed a difference. Long gone was the quiet, thoughtful man that was Ben Solo and in his place, Kylo raged, both his heart and pride bruised with no sign of healing.

His world was shrouded in darkness, the hurt and the anguish tattooed deep into his skin, and the light inside him was flickering hopelessly, snuffed like a candle starved of oxygen.

Ben tried to breathe, to live, but the montage of Rey’s broken words and images full of her tears left him hurting, they tormented him as they barraged him in an endless loop that showed no sign of slowing. 

A part of him knew he deserved what fate had handed him, a sick kind of karma for the damage he had inflicted upon the woman he loved. He had hurt Rey in many ways, both physically and mentally and he would gladly let her tear him apart, ricochet his soul with her mighty claws, if it meant she felt some kind of reprieve, a shimmer of hope or clarity. 

Absentmindedly, he traced the scar that she gifted him, marked him with. It was unlike the mark he left upon her when his teeth split her flesh. Hers was a mating mark and it would not heal properly until she reciprocated by baring her own teeth and consumed a part of his flesh in retaliation, a bond complete. It seemed like an impossibility, she did not want him in her life anymore and that crushed him. The idea that he would not be graced with her presence, her smile, her laughs and love was the unthinkable, it left him a ruined man, half of a soul. For he would forever be bonded to her, his mark would never heal on her skin and he would slowly be reduced to a shadow of himself, hollowed out and without his mate. 

The healing had worked its magic, physically, nothing could sooth his mind or his ruptured heart but one scar remained, it bisected his face but it was no longer stark, bloodied and ripe. Oddly, Ben wore it with pride. For although it was not a mating mark, her teeth were needed for that, it was a piece of her and served as a showing of his failure, a failure to protect her, and he would wear it to his dying day and learn from it. He would never fail her again, even if she did not want him. His role as protector of her was now not just a wanted responsibility, it was his duty, it burned in his blood. If any harm came to her, it would fall to him to take the blame, she wore his mark and that was enough, he was bound to her for the rest of his life. 

For days, he paced, itching to rip the skin from his bones and leave Ben Solo behind, to leave the hurt and misery behind for a while. Instead, in an act entirely out of his character, he trashed his apartment, the damage almost too great to live in. 

The worst thing was waking up alone and then came the feelings, the torment of a whispered nightmare and he felt like it was the end of all he had known. He was frozen still, the days and time passing by without remembrance. The scars left behind in him were great but he found some were too deep, too deep for him to feel, to make him human. 

Suffocating in his grief and his heartbreak, he surrendered control to his inner wolf and Kylo burned, he raged.

It was days after his confession to Rey, that his mother coerced him to stay with her at their home, a cabin south of the lake. She took one look at his face, his demolished apartment that he tore apart in his grief, his anger almost uncontrollable. When she found him, he was shaking on the ground, still punching a hole in the wall, blooding his knuckles with the force. 

He had worried Leia Skywalker Solo and rightly so. She had picked him up, despite their difference in size and height like a woman possessed with the strength of a hundred men. 

Kylo, no longer Ben, was numb but he remembered faintly of how she supported him, cradled him to her chest as he snarled and growled like a rabid dog as he squirmed to find an outlet for his anger, but she remained calm and drove him to the cabin.

Despite his parents’ worry, they did not hover, an unspoken rule in their family. When he was ready to talk, they would be there. 

For days he stewed, gravitating between distress and rage, all aimed at himself. At times, Ben grappled Kylo for control but he was not strong enough to defeat that part of him, so the frightening visage of Kylo kept a hold of the body, he remained in control to wear and suffer through the storm as the other half of him drowned in sorrow. 

At nights, he would sneak out, run wild through the woods in his wolf form, tearing up the earth below him and released the anger that way, clawing at trees, small game, anything he could get his claws or teeth on. There was no satisfaction in it. 

It was on the seventh day after he had last seen Rey that he woke up with a new resolve. The anger was still there, the unpredictable side of him and Kylo burned, but Ben Solo was there, having made it to back the surface. He was clinging onto his control as if he was a man stranded at sea but he was there. 

Sitting up in his childhood bed, he stretched and inclined his head toward the door. Through subtle, telltale noises and her scent, Ben knew his mother was on the other side of his door. That was odd for her; whenever Leia Skywalker Solo wanted something, she did not beat around the bush. He closed the distance and opened the door, surprising her. 

“Ben,” Leia whispered.

He had never seen his mother so worried, so cradled by fear for him. Making her feel that way was unfair, he knew. She appeared so much older, weighed down with concern. 

“Mother,” Ben croaked and wrapped his long arms around her, she squeezed him tight, some tears spilling between the two but the mother and son were united, glad that he had found a way out of his stupor.

They stood like this for some time, whispering assurances to each other. 

“Ben, I would like you to attend a council meeting today. We have some worrying news,” Leia said as she pulled back and took his hands in her own.

Nodding slowly, Ben attempted to lift the news from her head. He wanted to know of what troubled her, what had caused the uneasy look in her eyes or the bend in her usually rigid, straight posture. Leia sent him a look, the look, arching her thin brows at him.

Leia was an alpha, a powerful one and she did not open her mind often or willingly. She made no exception for her son.

Ben blushed at having been caught and looked towards their hands.

“I will be down in ten minutes,” he assured her, squeezing her tiny hand once more in reassurance, and then turned, walking toward the en suite. 

Stepping under the spray of hot water, Ben began to feel more human. It had been a week since he had showered, something that was far from his mind as he grieved. Balancing himself on the tiles with one hand, he let the water cascade over him; he enjoyed the feeling of the warmth finding a place in his skin again. 

Cleaning fast and thoroughly, he scrubbed and cleared his skin with a new vigour and almost forgot about his lacerated soul. The water cleansed him, almost as if it absolved him for all of his sins and he found himself standing a little straighter.

He did not deserve Rey’s forgiveness but he was going to try, he was going to fight with everything he had in him to take a step back towards that light.

Towelling off quickly, he changed into some heather grey sweatpants and a long sleeved navy top. He left his hair to dry naturally, as he was much too eager to throw himself back into pack business.

He descended the stairs practically jumping down them as he walked toward the council room. 

Knocking, he waited until his father voiced him a word of entry.

The room was grander than the rest of the cabin, their pack council made up of the finest, wisest and most trusted members.

A large, round table sat in the middle of the room, it seated thirteen but he noticed members missing, that was unusual. His mother and father sat in their usual spot and he claimed the empty seat next to his mother. It was symbolic, Han was the pack leader, Leia sat on his right, his next in command and Ben sat next to her as their heir.

Also seated at the table was Kaydel Solo, a young woman his parents had adopted when they followed her scent to an orphanage and realised she carried the gene. She was but a toddler when they found her; they were the only family she knew. In all ways but blood, she was his sister and they treated one another as such. Her round coffee eyes swelled and her mouth gaped as she appraised the scar. 

Ben noticed the stares, the horror and disbelief painted on the faces of his pack mates over his face. It was quite a sight, the scar although healed, had still disfigured him and set him apart from the rest.

He would not elaborate the force behind it until he knew of the reason for the council meeting. 

Next to Kaydel sat Amilyn Holdo, his mother’s closest and dearest friend, a feisty woman who always fought for the welfare of the pack and one who he called godmother. He noted she had dyed her hair since he saw her last as it was lilac today. Beside her was Gial Ackbar, U.O. Statura, Snap Wexley and Tallie Lintra.

“We have gathered you here for a matter of grave importance. Jessika Pava has been missing for five days,” Han declared, standing. 

The room erupted into chaos; Ben sat stunned, taken aback by the information. Jessika Pava was someone he grew up with, alongside Kaydel, Hux, Phasma and Tallie. They were all of similar ages, only brought closer by their secret. Ben knew better than anyone did how strong Jessika was, she was one of their most vicious fighters and could disarm anyone with her charm. She was a force to be reckoned with.

Ben worked his lip between his teeth, it was unnerving. 

“Do we know the circumstances behind her disappearance?” Ben asked, silencing the rest of them. 

Han looked at his son, his own worried eyes mirroring his and sat down. The weight of the world was on his shoulders. 

“Her room was a mess, a sign of a struggle.”

Across from Ben, Tallie and Kaydel clenched their fists, their eyes swimming with unshed tears. The girls of the group had always been close.

“Was there any unusual scents?” Amilyn asked her own features grave and pessimistic.

She had lived long enough to know what it meant, how little the chance was of Jessika being returned to them, and she had seen this kind of situation before. 

“Nothing. Whoever did this, knew what they were doing,” Leia added quietly, squeezing Han’s hand.

Silence lingered between them all.

“A curfew needs to be set up; no one should travel in groups less than three. It might also be wise to congregate here, I am sure we could rent some of the holiday cabins nearby so we can all remain together,” Ben said, looking toward his mother and father for their go-ahead.

This was his first real test as pack heir; the pack would be his responsibility one day. He hoped he would not have to carry such a load on his own.

Everyone looked towards Han and Leia for confirmation over Ben’s words.

Han looked around, his eyes twinkling. 

“What are you looking at me for, follow what Ben said.”

Despite the circumstances, Ben’s heart warmed over his father’s approval. It meant the world to him. He could only hope to be half the leader his father was, something he strived to live up to with every passing day. 

“Kaydel, book the cabins, Amilyn contact every pack member and invite them here, we need to announce the news and curfew to everyone. Ackbar, Snap, Tallie and Statura, run a perimeter around the woods, secure it and report any unusual findings. Take no excuses, this is a code red,” Ben stood, embracing his leadership role.

Leia looked at her son with a growing sense of awe. As he stood straight, shoulders rolled back and head held high, he appeared every bit like the strong leader she knew he would become. He was an alpha, through and through. 

“There is also something I need to inform you all of, I am sure you have noticed my scar.”

That quieted everyone, no more so than Han and Leia. When Leia had dragged Ben to the cabin, they had been full of questions but they knew not to push him, otherwise they would regret it, he would close up.

That did not mean they worried any less. Leia had fumed, wanting to tear down the person responsible for scarring her son, as any mother would. No mother was more protective than she was. 

“The night that Reyna Kenobi was attacked by Hux, I intervened as you all know. I accidentally bit her when I tried to save her; I did not know this until she bared her arm to me a week ago. Due to the nature of my feelings for her, it has presented as a mating mark. She went through the change a week ago, I have triggered her wolf gene,” Ben explained.

Again, the room came alive with disbelief, shouts, whispers but none more loudly than his own did.

“Quiet!” Ben roared.

“She attacked me when she found out I was responsible for her change, she does not know of her heritage or the gene she carried. She does not realise the significance of the bite either, she is unaware of our mating habits. But I do. She is under my protection, even if she is unwilling to see me now. I hope one day that she will reciprocate my mark and we can be proper mates,” Ben finished.

Leia had turned a peaky shade of white as Ben sat beside her, taking her hand in his own. For the first time in his life, he had stunned his mother. A Kenobi turning and a mate too, it was almost too much for her. 

Amilyn grinned, “A Kenobi belongs in our pack, her grandfather was leader before Han.”

Ackbar clapped his hands together.

“A Kenobi to co-lead our pack with an heir of Skywalker. It has been destined since the beginning of our kind.”

Han walked over and pulled his son into a hug, the bone crushing kind that only men offered. 

“I hope you know what you are getting into, those Kenobi’s are a strong and stubborn bunch,” he laughed half-heartedly.

“I love her,” Ben confessed quietly.

Han patted his back and smirked, a roguish grin appearing on his mischievous lips as he eyed his wife. He was proud and glad to have seen the day that his son had found love. 

“Everyone can see that, focus on the girl. She will need you to tell her of this life.”

Ben nodded.

“You turned and accidentally mated her,” Hux shook his head, walking into the room with Phasma not far behind him. She avoided Ben’s gaze after the incident with Rey. 

Ben growled, his tone was grating.

“She will need to be contained until we access her control. I bet her anger is all over the place, we cannot risk her exposing us,” he continued.

“She is my responsibility, my mate,” Ben retorted, his anger wavering.

“She is not really your mate is she? She did not return the bite, you have shackled yourself to some ungrateful beta bitch for the rest of your life Ben, how can you not see how stupid you have been?” Hux shouted, Phasma attempted to hold him back, knowing what was going to happen.

That was all it took. 

Ben launched across the room and grabbed the man by his throat, seething as he squeezed his tiny neck.

“Say that again, call her a beta bitch and see where that gets you! You are a beta yourself,” Ben sneered, as he tightened his grip.

No one moved to stop the two except Phasma who pulled at Ben’s arm but he was titanium, unmovable as he glared into the eyes of the man he called brother, the one his family had taken in after the death of his father. Ben Solo may have been an only child in the biological sense but his parents had raised Hux and Kaydel as if they were their own, they may as well had been. 

“You are right; I am not an alpha who accidentally mated with a beta, someone inexperienced with our ways! Deny it all you want, she is not your mate and she needs to be kept away from society,” Hux spluttered.

Ben broke his iron hold on Hux’s neck and the redhead fell to the floor, gasping for air. It twisted his insides to harm him, a man he called brother but his instincts towards Rey were fresh, raw and spiralling out of control.

Something had to give though, an end to their feud otherwise they would be lost to each other, nothing but strangers who shared a past and a handful of memories. Ben was unsure if he could cope with losing Hux, as deplorable as he was at times, he could not live through another loss. Losing Rey had been hard enough. 

How could a man he had grown with, experienced and shared his life with be so callous and flippant of his desires? He had sabotaged and belittled his feelings for Rey since the moment she appeared in their office and he had had enough. 

Ben followed suit and kneeled in front of him, inching towards his flaming face, peaky white flushed coral. Shifting his eyes, he penetrated Hux’s eyes with his crimson ones; an alpha had put a beta in their place, an act of pure primal intimidation. 

It was something he had never done to Hux before, he rarely lost his temper but even rarer for it to be aimed at Hux. He never used his rank to belittle his friend, more often than not; people assumed Ben was the beta of the two due to his quiet and usually calm nature. 

He spoke lowly, quietly. 

“If anyone tries to approach her, I will protect her with whatever force I deem necessary. Is that understood?” Ben threatened, peering over his shoulder as he stood. 

Everyone was nodding, including his parents. Kaydel was gripping their mother’s forearm, comforting her. He had lost control and he knew his parents would have something to say about it, it was so unlike him, a poised man renowned for his self-control and high tolerance for even the most infuriating of people. When he returned, he knew he owed his parents, maybe even Kaydel and Hux, his faux siblings, a full explanation of what had happened between him and Rey but he was glad that none of them were pressing him. At least they had the sense not to ask questions when he was riled up, flighty. 

After a quiet apology to the council members and with the confirmation that Rey was not to be approached, he strode out of the room, stripping himself of his clothes. As soon as he stepped outdoors, he transformed and ran. Pushing himself harder than he ever had before, he bounded between the trees, his muscles burning with the exertion placed upon them. 

Hours passed and he continued running, exhausting himself, well past nightfall. The darkness was a comfort, something he could camouflage and lose himself in.

When he grew too tired and sore, he stopped by the lake, reflecting upon his acts, his grief, his heartbreak and the news of Jessika’s disappearance and likely abduction. 

Plagued by questions, his mind spun a million miles per hour, he groaned and glared at the water. Was the pack safe? Where was Jessika?

_Could Rey disappear too?_

No, he would not let that happen, not whilst his heart beat. He would guard her like a dog if he had to and claim a place outside her cabin, and ward off any trespassers. She would not move him, there was nothing that she could do or say that would make him cease his activities when her safety was concerned. 

Shifting back into his human form was a welcome distraction; he sat nude and free beside the body of water and dipped his feet into the chilly water, a contrast to his body that constantly ran hot. 

He sat there for hours, not wanting to return home. He knew he had acted rash, but the way Hux had bated him, the way he called Rey a beta bitch was too much. The way he had goaded him with the very real fact that Rey was not his true mate, hurt, it stung deep. 

Fisting the dirt below him, he peered up at the moon. It was another two weeks until the full moon; another two weeks of worrying about Rey lay ahead.

While the presence of the full moon did not mean someone had to change into their wolf, it was recommended. Betas were limited to only being able to turn on a full moon, it powered their transformation so it was a given that every beta in the pack would turn on a full moon. The urge to switch forms would be strong and he wanted to be there for Rey again, he hoped her second transition was smoother than the first, they often were.

Suddenly Ben fell back; the weight of a fear, not his own, sent him backwards into the overgrown grass, it cushioned his fall. 

The overwhelming feeling stunned him; it knocked the breath of him. 

Startled, he sat up.

_“Ben!”_

Choking back surprise, he stood as he realised that he was feeling Rey’s fear; her voice rang clear and loud in his head despite the distance between them. It was as if she was standing right next to him, screaming. It was his name that she screamed, something that both chilled and thrilled him. 

Whatever had just happened, it was something else…something almost unheard of. It was not the usual telepathy or mind reading he was accustomed to. Their bond was far stronger than he had anticipated, despite them not mating fully. 

Without a moment’s hesitation, he took off running towards her cabin but as he did, he felt her fear subside and he slowed to a walk, calming considerably. Whilst passing a patch of wild flowers, an idea sprung to mind. 

xxx

Sleep did not find Rey again after the nightmare. It haunted her, the sight of Ben falling to his knees, slain by whatever coated the tiny dart; it had taken hold of his body almost instantaneously. Despite what fate awaited him, he used the last of his consciousness and thought only of her and her safety, he urged her to run and leave him. 

Rey was not sure she could leave him, despite it being a dream. If it became reality, she knew leaving Ben alone and defenceless was something she would not be able to do, not matter how much he begged.

The dream had left her worried for his safety, a gnawing pit of concern and anxiety formed in her gut as she lay in the darkened room. Contrary of her final words to Ben, when she told him that she did not know that she could forgive him for what he had done to her, a part of her forgave him the moment her claws sliced through his skin. The retaliating and vicious act almost redeemed him in an odd, nonsensical way. She missed him terribly but he had witnessed her attack, dealt the monumental blow and watched her fall apart without a whisper of the truth from him. 

After all, what was love without trust? 

She loved him and that was not a debatable sentiment or changing any time soon. She worried that she would carry him in her heart for the rest of her life, whether she could forgive him or not. Then she recalled him falling apart as she walked away from him, how he fell to the earth and how it carried and absorbed his tears as he howled in agony, another soul with a broken heart screaming their pain to the sky above.

Could he trust her with his heart again?

Shaking the thought away, too pessimistic with her answer, she tossed and turned. The need for comfort was foreign and magnetic inside her; she wanted nothing more than to wrap herself around Ben as he shielded her from her nightmares. She was vulnerable and the pull to him was consuming her mind, body and soul, they all wanted to latch onto him and call a cease-fire in the war between the two. 

At dawn, she dragged herself out of bed and as per her routine; she opened the curtains, bathing the room with natural and therapeutic light. 

After some contemplation and stressing over all the things that could possibly go wrong, she decided that because she had hours to kill before her appointment with Dr Snoke, she would go for a run. It was the first step towards regaining some of her old life back, a shred of normality. As an active woman before the attack, she had missed her routine, she loved to run and swim and she wanted to enjoy the simple pleasures of life again, to shake the shadow that had encompassed her. Running, she knew, would aid in clearing her mind for the day ahead and hopefully exhaust her enough that she would be gifted a dreamless sleep that night. 

Changing quickly and efficiently, she swapped her sleepwear, her panties and a vest top, for a pair of loose shorts and an oversized t-shirt that had belonged to her grandfather. Despite the year that had passed since his passing, it still smelled like him, still held something of Old Ben Kenobi and Rey would never part from it, she liked to think she carried a part of him wherever she roamed. Her running shoes were laced, a bottle of water filled, and then she was off. She jogged to the door, stretching her arms, eager to run away from it all, even if it was only for a short time. Her mind was straying back to Ben and she was in desperate need of a distraction. 

After opening the door, she peeked out and took in her surroundings. It was something she had yet to shake. The paranoia was still there, the woods symbolising a sense of dread, a reminder of what had befallen her in between the trees. Somehow, she half expected the red beast to barrel out of the trees and rush for her throat so it could finish what it had started. 

Now, she was an equal to them, possessing a beast of her own. 

She locked up, a force of habit, unnecessary in the secluded area, and walked down the steps. She stopped in her tracks upon seeing what sat at the bottom of them. 

On the bottom step, just outside the perimeter of the moonstones, lay a single purple hyacinth. 

Rey’s breath caught in her throat, her heart found new life and breathed in relief with her, thudding gently. A rosy blush kissed her cheeks as she searched the treeline, already knowing who had left it there for her. With no Ben in sight, she dipped at the waist, plucked up the flower, and brought it to her nose. Inhaling deeply, she was overcome with a rich sweetness, a scent she appreciated. Not only that, but it told her that Ben was safe, he left this for her, she could feel it. 

When she looked at her hands that held onto the flower, they were no longer bloodied, the flower forgave all. 

It meant so much more than that. Having grown up with a love for flowers, plants, trees and a flourishing garden of her own, she knew the meaning behind the flower. The colour, the choice of flower, it all symbolised something.

Ben was apologising, asking for forgiveness and expressing his sorrow without words.

For the first time in a long time, she smiled.

She felt the hope in her blossom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quoting your favourite line is as a good as extra kudos...because our Ben ROMEO Solo brings out the poet in me. 
> 
> Please share your thoughts, theories-anything you are feeling. Is there some hope for these two now? I noticed a little dip in the response with the last chapter so I am eager to hear from you. 
> 
> Soooo pack problems and Rey has found something quite significant, that trunk is going to help her a lot! ;)
> 
> Snoke is in the next chapter, this is not a drill! ;)
> 
> I did not have time to reply to comments this week but I appreciated them all so much...I legit screenshot them! I will try to reply to all left on this chapter
> 
> I know this was a filler and I wrote it in an hour to make sure I made my update day, it has been a tough week for me personally so I hope it pleased some of you.
> 
> I lurk about Tumblr too-AlbaStarGazer so if you have it, feel free to find me there :)


	10. Rebirth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leia confesses her feelings to Ben, emotional time for all
> 
> Rey meets Snoke...it does not go the way you expect
> 
> And our two leads are reunited...with a heated encounter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is for Loveofescapism...Rebecca...You know why...thank you for all you do <3
> 
> Also! Happy Birthday to spiegatrixlestrange (Simona) You are a star

It was light out before Ben wandered home.

The sky that accompanied dawn was symbolic, quite like the flower he had left for Rey to find. A part of him hoped that she sensed the offering was from him, he would make more every day at her feet, the cabin’s steps acting as her altar, if that was what it took to be graced with her attentions again.

He wanted to see her; he needed to lay his eyes on her. His body ached to hear her voice again.

Swarms of ocean blue and lively wisps of deep violet cut across the morning sky, it calmed him, and the purple mirrored the flower he had picked hours before. He clung to the hope that he and Rey would find their way back to one another again.

Ambling through the woods, he took the time to centre himself and clear his mind. A gentle breeze caressed his bare skin, clad only in a pair of boxer briefs, he was almost entirely exposed, one with nature. His kind were closer to the earth in an ethereal way, they knew of the powers of the sun and the moon, the strength of water, the richness of the earth and ferocity of wind and fire. They appreciated them and with appreciation, came respect.

He had always seen Rey as the sun, a deity of light. Now he knew she was not only kissed by the sun, her light was eclipsed by the glow of the moon. A whisper, a shadow of the pale giant lingered in her soul, her blood, just as it coursed through his. 

Despite the conflict that arose from him changing her, that part of him swelled with hope and delight because it meant being with her would be easy, like breathing.

Ben walked out of the treeline towards his parents’ cabin and was surprised to see his tiny mother, hunched over on the deck, cradling a cup of coffee. Her tired eyes met her sons as he neared and sat next to her.

“You scared me this week,” Leia admitted quietly, never straying her eyes from the treeline. 

Ben nodded, knowing full well what his mind lapse and breakdown had done. It had cut him deep, tore his soul in two and Leia had found him at his lowest, bordering on delirious, a rage that she could hardly contain. 

“You remind me so much of my father.”

Ben’s face crumpled, Anakin Skywalker was seldom spoke of in their home. It was a sore subject, a lesson of how love could ruin such a strong man. He understood the comparison in that sense. 

“You are very much like him, he felt everything so deeply, the highs and lows of life affected him much more than others.”

Ben sat twiddling his thumbs. He knew of the stories, the half-truths spread around the pack, that his grandfather lost his mind after the murder of his grandmother, Padme. Despite the powers that came with being an alpha, the raw and brute strength, he had been unable to save her.

Anakin had been the one to find her body; people say he screamed for days clutching her corpse. Leia, only twenty-one at the time was the one to separate her parents, one dead and one alive, but hardly breathing. 

Losing Padme had torn him apart and he disappeared, never to be seen again. Most believed Anakin Skywalker ended his life shortly after disappearing, Leia agreed with them. For him, a fierce warrior and talented leader was reduced to half a man, half a soul, his heart broken beyond repair.

“I see it within you, underneath your kind heart and strong values, there is that passion. It presents in different ways, the anger, the pain, the love and hope. I can see the conflict within you,” she continued.

“I was worried about you loving this girl because you have that look in your eyes, the same one as my father had when he looked at my mother. When you thought you lost Rey, you became unchained, unbalanced and I thought I was losing my son like I had lost my father,” Her wise eyes shone with unshed tears.

Ben’s heart sank. He had never wanted to hurt his mother and it seemed he had.

“Yesterday, despite your anger, you showed me that you are stronger than my father ever was. You are a better man, alike but different. Despite your heartache, you stepped up into your role and that shows me you will make a fine pack leader. I am proud of you.”

Ben was stunned, amazed at the direction of his mother’s thoughts. He had not failed her. 

“I want to lead our people.”

Leia nodded, she felt it within her that her son would rise to power, take his rightful spot one day.

“I also do not want to lose Rey,” Ben admitted, the very thought of her was enough to hurt him, their separation weighed heavy on him. 

Leia clutched his hand, squeezing it. 

“Hope is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it, you’ll never make it through the night.”

The words sunk into his consciousness and warmed his insides. Rey was his sun and it seemed fitting. The lesson it taught though was that he needed to believe in Rey, trust in her even if he could not be with her. Therefore, even if he wanted nothing more than to be around her, to earn her forgiveness, he had to hope that she would come to that realisation on her own. That they would make it through the darkness. He would wait however many nights it took. 

“She will come around,” Leia promised, and brought their hands to her face, she kissed his.

“Now come on, you need some sleep. We have a busy day ahead.”

Ben stood and followed his mother inside. The hope inside him was reignited, relit by the wild spark that was Leia Skywalker Solo.

xxx

The drive to the city was far less daunting than before. Rey had found herself accustomed to her new senses, even if they were still fresh and not long awakened in their new superiority. Traffic was light, not entirely unusual for the time of day, it was nearing noon and most of the population had made the commute to the concrete jungle hours before. 

Rey enjoyed driving, the day she pestered her grandfather enough to teach her had been one of her finest moments, a time where her happiness lay rooted in sitting behind the wheel of her treasured beetle or tending to her garden. Despite being only ten when she finally persuaded him to teach her, she took to the act easily; a natural and made the driver’s seat her throne.

Remembering her odd little run in with the police officer the week before, Rey realised that she had used some kind of power to work her way out of a ticket or possibly jail. The compulsion reminded her of what Ben did from time to time but he was an alpha, surely betas were not blessed with such gifts. Had it been a fluke? Was some of Ben’s powers and influence seeping into her because he had bitten her? A sharing of power?

She shrugged and rolled down her window, the old mechanism creaked and squeaked in protest as the car filled with a welcomed refreshing breeze. Quite like the appointment with Dr Mitaka, Rey was not suitably dressed for summer weather. The bite on her left forearm had halted in its healing. Admittedly, it worried her a little. It was as if the bite was alive and aware of her separation from Ben, its bestower, and decided to end whatever healing had progressed. It was red, painful looking and sensitive. Sometimes it burned when she thought of Ben, quite reminiscent of the way her soul ached for him.

She was not self-conscious of the mark, in fact, a tiny part of her was overjoyed that she bore a part of him for all to see, even if it had been crude, inflicted in the wrong kind of circumstances. She had dreamed of marking Ben for years and that need had only increased since he had bitten her, she had not seen it in the beginning but it stirred her; awake like the beast within her.

She had thought she had been desperate to claim him the day they shared their first kiss but the sight of her bite was enough to make her incensed, frantic to mark him, to make him hers. Every part of her screamed for her to do it.

If only it were that easy.

Unable to think of Ben and the ache in her chest that accompanied those thoughts, she pulled the heavy cardigan tighter around her as she pulled up to a sleek building; it was all dark, metallic and glassy. 

Smoothing her lightweight, knee length khaki shorts, she exhaled, slinging her purse over her shoulder. Gazing into her mirror, she narrowed her eyes and straightened her shoulders.

“You can do this,” she said, willing the confidence inside her to emerge, to gather and hone her strength. 

She locked up her car and gazed at the building. 

Having worked and attended school in the city, she was used to concrete giants, skyscrapers that kissed the skies but this was something else, something unlike the rest.

It was tall, the tallest in sight. It appeared cold, heartless. Made up entirely of dark glass, it was a remarkable sight. The sun reflected on it, giving it a shiny sheen but it did little to warm the dark building.

Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out the business card and read the address on it, she was certain she had followed the correct directions. Once it was confirmed this was the place she was expected at, she strolled towards it, eyeing it carefully.

What kind of doctor, a psychiatrist, would make a glass prison his place of practice? It was not exactly inviting. When she thought of therapy, she envisioned homely kind of environments, a place where one could feel at ease and feel comfortable enough to divulge their secret thoughts, their darkest times. It just seemed impersonal, too clinical and she wondered if she had made a mistake in following Dr Mitaka’s recommendation. Like the Valium at the bottom of her purse, maybe she should have left this doctor’s card untouched and forgotten about it. 

No.

She could not write off this man’s ability to treat her by the appearance of his work place. Her grandfather had always instilled that appearances can be deceiving so she sucked it up and walked into the building.

She followed the signs on the elevator and realised that Dr Alistair Snoke resided on the top floor. He was important then, successful. The elevator was blessedly empty and she ascended, thumbing the sleeves of her cardigan.

The obnoxious ping that alerted her arrival to the top floor rang in her eyes, she was still sensitive to sounds but she hid it well, massaging the ear only briefly as if she was fixing her hair.

She approached the doctor’s secretary, a tall, thin woman with sharp features and olive skin. Her sleek black hair was cut into a sharp bob that sat just below her jaw line. 

“You must be Reyna Kenobi, I am Bazine, Dr Snoke’s secretary,” the woman greeted, her voice was sweet, almost too much, a faux tone to it.

Rey did not dwell on it and wrote off her observations down to nerves. 

“Yes, I have an appointment at one,” Rey answered, eyeing the clock about the receptionist. She was right on time. 

She watched the woman type something into the expensive system.

Bazine smacked her tongue and grinned at the Rey, her cherry plum lips almost cracking with exertion.

“Yes, Mr Snoke is just finishing up with a colleague but you can go right in, Miss Kenobi,” The woman said, standing as she directed her toward the door.

Suddenly feeling quite anxious, Rey seized up as she eyed the door. It was blood red with an onyx handle, it was ominous, almost unnerving. It felt familiar somehow, maybe from a nightmare, a dream.  
She stood rooted to the spot, despite Bazine urging her forward, to step inside.

The sense of déjà vu was dizzying, a faint whisper from behind her urged her to step away from the door, she frowned, swivelling. She could have sworn it was Ben…but there was no one there. It was odd.

“Miss Kenobi, a pleasure to see you again,” Rey turned on her heel and found Dr Mitaka in front of her, having just exited out of the office.

Her heartrate spiked as the beady eyes of the man trailed straight from her face, down to her covered arm. His interest in the bite was suspicious and it made her uncomfortable but it was well covered, her baggy cardigan made sure of that.

“You too, doctor,” Rey added weakly.

Dr Mitaka grinned; his blue eyes took on a new shine as he breathed in deeply, almost leaning into her as he did so. 

“I am proud of you for taking the initiative to try therapy, it will help you greatly. Dr Snoke is one of the finest psychiatrists in the country. Best not leave him waiting,” his voice was low, if not quite excitable when he spoke of his colleague.

Rey found it odd but she nodded and manoeuvred around the short man and knocked on the door.

Again, the cusp of a whisper filled the air; a heavy sense of dread filled her being as she turned to find the doctor gone, with no sign of Ben Solo pleading for her to turn. It was as if she had been in this situation before. 

“Come in.”

Bracing herself, she glanced behind her once more and then pulled the door open and stepped inside, unable to shake that perhaps this was some kind of mistake.

“It is you,” the old man smiled as he rose to his feet, he was in awe of her. 

Confused, Rey scrutinised the man, her face scrunched in confusion.

Again, there was familiarity in his features. She could not help but think she had seen this man before.

Then it hit her, he was the man from her nightmare, the one who had laughed at her, the one who had told her she would give him everything.

She staggered and righted herself.

It was just a dream, was it not? She could not read too much in to it, surely, it was unhealthy. 

“Do I know you?” She decided to ask, not moving from the place by her door.

The old man smiled, his gaunt, scarred face lit up with new life at the sight of her.

He was bald, tall and unhealthy looking, almost deathly but there was light in those sharp blue eyes, she felt like they could see her soul, a wisdom in them much older than the man himself.

What struck her most was the fearsome scar on his head; it was jagged, deep and unsightly. Although time had healed the initial wound, the scar was great, a significant one.

The man laughed as he approached her, his old shoulders hunching as he did. He crossed his bony arms across his chest, his impeccable suit tailored perfectly to his slight frame.

“I do not suppose you would remember me, you were a girl of only four when I last set eyes upon you Reyna,” Snoke said, almost sadly.

Rey inspected him carefully, hoping that some kind of recognition would set in.

“I am sorry; I am struggling to remember you.”

The man smiled softly and then turned and walked towards his desk.

“When I saw your name, I was unsure if it was the Reyna Kenobi I knew. You see, I grew up with your grandfather; we were friends since we were young boys, neighbours. I was your mother’s godfather,” the man added quietly, a whimsical tone to his voice.

Rey’s hands began to shake. This man knew of her family, he was a link to her grandfather and the mother she had never known.

Interest piqued, she stepped forward and followed him to his desk just as he pulled out a small envelope. He placed it into her waiting hands. 

“Sit, dear child,” Dr Snoke murmured.

She sat in the plush leather chair, vermillion in colour and slumped against its back. This man had pulled the rug out from under her, sent her world into a manic spin.

Her hands shook as she tried to open the envelope. Her limb was failing her.

Leaning forward, Snoke lay his hand on hers to stop the shaking. It was cold to the touch but it did the job, breathing deeply through her nose, she managed to calm down and opened the envelope, a handful of pictures falling in to her lap.

Rey gasped when she saw the face of her mother peering up at her

Immediately, tears rolled down her face as she carefully plucked the photo of Jyn Kenobi from her lap and brought it up to her face.

She had never seen the photo before; it was her mother at the cabin sat on her rocking chair. Her breath caught in her throat as she traced her mother’s face with her fingertips, she did so carefully, not wanting to taint the photo in anyway. She had never met Jyn Kenobi, the woman who carried her for nine months only to die days later in a fire alongside her father, Cassian Andor. Most of Ben Kenobi’s photos of his daughter and son in law had perished alongside the two so Rey’s collection was limited to two photos.

Now she had more, a pile of them.

Wiping the tears away, she smiled as she sifted through them and inspected another one. This one showed Jyn in her wedding gown, her stomach round with her child, Rey, and Cassian cradling her from behind, his hands planted firmly on the bump.

Rey immersed herself in the moment and imagined her father whispering sweet little things to her in the womb, speaking in his native language to the child he watched blossom within her mother, his wife. She noticed that while she inherited her features from her mother, the high cheekbones and little nose, she was much like her father. She knew that he was Mexican and it was why the sun favoured her so, how she browned beautifully all year long with only the slightest exposure to the sun. She never noticed how mischievous her father looked, the knowing smirk and eyes that told a world of stories. 

She mourned for what was taken from her.

“The next one is my favourite,” Dr Snoke added gently and handed Rey a tissue. 

She took it and moved onto the next. 

She gasped and saw herself, a newborn baby in her mother’s arms, her father huddled to the side as they both gazed at the life they had created. Her mother was a warrior it seemed, her hair looked wet with sweat, her cheeks pink with exertion but still she sat straight, eyes wide and happy, full of love. It was Cassian, between the two, who cried at the birth. 

She stared at it for some time, not wanting to look away. She wished they could replay that moment, to warn them of what was going to transpire. 

“Your father was right about you; he called you his ‘mi sol’. You remind me so much of him but your eyes, those are your mother’s eyes,” Dr Snoke mused quietly.

“Mi sol? He called me his sun?” Rey sniffed, her eyes twinkled.

Rey knew she inherited her mother’s eyes; there was always a glint of sadness in Ben Kenobi’s face when he stared at her, and she knew it was because he saw a part of the daughter he had lost.

“He did, ever since he realised your mother was pregnant.”

Rey looked down at the picture once more. She wished she had been able to hear her father call her mi sol, his sun. She certainly caught the sun as he had.

She begrudgingly moved on to the next one and saw herself again, her parents nowhere in sight. She was disappointed but she saw her grandfather, sat next to Dr Snoke. Rey was on Snoke’s lap, laughing towards the camera as she tugged on the man’s scarf.

“You ended up running off with that scarf and I never saw it again,” Snoke chuckled, reclining in his chair. 

Swallowing the knot in her throat, Rey pushed the rest of the photos into the envelope and began to slide them over. She had not viewed them all, it was too overwhelming.

“No, dear child, those now belong to you,” Snoke assured her.

She clutched the envelope to her chest.

“Thank you, I cannot thank you enough for this. This is the best gift I have ever received,” she whispered earnestly.

She would make a million copies of the pictures; never keep them all in the same place. Fire had taken her parents and other memories from her, snatched and snuffed them all but she would not let these slip from her grasp.

“Anything for you. Your grandfather was like a brother to me. I was saddened to have lost touch with him, he moved when you were a child, not long after that picture was taken and seemed to have dropped off the face of the earth. I was saddened to hear of his abrupt passing last year, it could not have been on easy on you,” Dr Snoke added.

He was right, they had moved around a lot when she was younger but they had always spent their summers at the cabin until they moved back to the city when she was eighteen so she could settle properly for college.

“I miss him every day,” she replied honestly.

Dr Snoke nodded, leaning forward on his elbows.

“It was not just the loss of him that lead you to my door though, was it dear child?”

Rey grimaced, subconsciously rubbing her bite. This man had already put her at ease despite the trepidation she had felt earlier. She could trust him, open up to him with time. He was the last link to her dead family, a man who had obviously played a huge part in their lives. Her grandfather was close with him, close enough to make him the godfather of his only daughter. He must have watched her mother grow and even watched her grow inside her mother.

She thought back to the photo of her on his lap, laughing as she pried the scarf from him.

At one point, she had known him and she found herself calming to the idea that therapy could work.

“I was the victim of an…animal attack,” she answered, knowing she could not elaborate further.

Dr Snoke hummed, nodding sympathetically.

“We shall start with that in our next session. Today has been overwhelming for you so I suggest we stop there, give you some time to decompress and think of what has happened.”

Rey nodded, thankful that he was not going to push her. Standing, she clutched the treasured photos to her chest once more before placing them in her bag. 

Snoke followed her to the set of red doors and clutched her hands, giving them a gentle squeeze.

“It was lovely to see you again Reyna, it was quite the surprise. I look forward to seeing you again soon.”

Rey smiled.

“Me too, thank you for everything.”

xxx

Hours later, Rey was sat upon her mother’s rocking chair, thumbing through the photos. After the appointment, she had felt lighter, optimistic and rushed to make copies of the precious photos. She even went as far as returning to her house to hide some of them and after that, she let herself into Poe, Finn and Rose’s apartment and stored some of the copies there too. She was taking no chances; these memories would not be taken from her.

Finishing the last of the wine from the small glass she nursed, she stood feeling restless. As she peered out of the window to the lake beyond the cabin, the urge to swim was overwhelming, the water called to her. Despite it being sundown, Rey was a confident swimmer; she had swum in the familiar body of water since she was a child.

As if in a trance, she strolled outside of the cabin, the humid air clinging to her like a soft embrace. Barefoot and sparsely clothed, she made her way to the water, arms full of blankets and towels. She set them on the wooden decking and began to shed herself of her garments. She was hot and sensitive, the chafing of the fabric almost too much.

She was not fearful of anyone seeing her; this part of the lake, the land around her cabin was private property, it was far from the holiday cabins and secluded enough that no visitors strayed far enough to reach it. Even if someone were to see, Rey was not fazed by nudity, a trait she had carried since she was a young girl. The human body was a piece of art, a thing to marvel over and treat like a temple, an embodiment that should be worshipped. Everyone was mapped out differently and Rey appreciated all forms. She had grown to love the changes that came along with her transformation too, admiring her curves and strong limbs.

Peering up at the darkening sky, the sun losing its battle with the night, Rey shivered despite the heat, her body coiled in anticipation. She stood on the deck, unabashed, naked and free like the day she had been born and ran her hands up to her hair, untangling it from the bun she had pulled it up into earlier. The waves sprung free and coiled around her neck and brushed against the underside of her breasts. 

Curling her toes into the decking, she smiled; bubbling in elation as she raised her arms above her head and dove into the water below, splitting the surface in one beautiful motion of fluidity. 

The water was surprisingly warm despite the fleeting disappearance of the sun and it welcomed her as such, as she worked her arms and kicked, diving deeper. Whilst she knew of the new limits of her senses, she never expected her sight to be so refined and clear in the depths of the lake. She found herself being able to see everything, tiny grains of sand, fish, the vegetation. All in perfectly clarity.

Grinning, she broke the surface and breathed in deeply, eager to return to the depths. She kept herself a float for a moment, admiring the little sunlight left in the sky; the sight was enough to spur something inside of her. She returned under the surface and found she was able to hold her breath for longer as she skimmed along the bottom, her limbs sashaying through the fresh, light water.

At some point, something clenched within her chest, a tug of her heart. Halting her activities, she resurfaced and floated, swivelling her neck to search the water and trees. There was no one in sight.

She trailed her bare breast, her fingertips resting their ministrations when she reached her heart. The tug was there, a pull, but she was alone. She swam idly for a few minutes before returning underwater; she filled her lungs with fresh, summer air and lost herself to the sensation of the water cradling her nude form, as it cleansed her body, soul and mind. She spun in the water, her hair floating around her face.

Then she saw him. 

Ben.

It was him she felt, the pull, her very own siren.

He had been the one to call to her heart, to lure her towards him. 

The pair of them froze, suspended in the water as they locked gazes, each startled to see the other. 

She noted the surprise marred in his face but there was something else, hope. 

Rey became aware of her nudity as his hungry eyes roamed over her figure, his eyes growing increasingly darker like the darkness of the water around them. Her arm ached, burned with his close proximity and Rey found herself once again eager to mark him. She in turn inspected him, an angel in the darkness, a beautiful specimen of a man, finely tuned in his masculinity, he was made for her. He was almost bare like her but he wore a pair of boxer briefs. They kissed his skin and did little to hide the bulge within them. 

For a moment, she forgot all about what he had done, the heavy betrayal and pain and in that moment, it was just Rey and Ben, two lost souls in love.

They both moved at the same time, rushing forward through the water and crashed, a joining of their broken souls they became one, a single entity in the darkness. 

Rey groped every bit of his pale skin that she could and wrapped her long legs around his thick, muscled waist. She anchored herself to him, locked their bodies together and sunk into his loving embrace. Unable to stop herself, she pulled at his thick hair and closed the distance between their eager mouths, she kissed him then, suspended in the water, and Ben returned the sentiment with a new fever that rivalled her own. 

They had no need for air, not while they had each other. 

Rey pulled back, needing to see his eyes. 

They remained like that, their heated gazes warming the space around them until Ben raised his arms and pulled them both to the surface with his mighty strength.

They both gasped, smiling as they breathed in some of the night air. 

Once again, they gazed at each other in this new light and neither could break the trance, the union of their souls heavy in both of their hearts. 

“Ben,” she whispered in awe.

“Rey.”

With her legs still wrapped around his waist, she fell forward, circling her arms around his neck and laid her head upon his chest and listened to his heart. The steady, familiar sound calmed her, grounded her. 

“I am sorry Rey, I have missed you so much,” Ben confessed, unable to believe in the mirage in front of him. He feared it was a dream, a trick of his fractured mind. 

Rey trailed her hand between them and rested it above his beating heart. Ben was safe, he was okay. She wanted to sob in relief, thank the god she never believed in and kiss the earth. He was safe and that was all that mattered. 

“I know,” she said believing the heart, the man she was perfectly in tune with.

Looking up towards his face, the one that she had faced in her nightmares, she gazed at the scar she had bestowed upon him. It was a weighty sight but oddly, it suited him. The guilt was still there but seeing it healed so beautifully, dimmed that guilt. 

“Can I?” She asked quietly, biting her lip as she studied his features, memorising what she could. 

Ben nodded.

Slowly, she inched forward as he lowered himself deeper in the water and touched the scar, her fingertips brushing the white marking. She had caused it, a part of her lay within his flesh. Breathing slowly, she brushed her lips upon his face and kissed the scar, she pebbled the length of it with gentle kisses, a silent apology laced with her regret. 

Ben, following her direction, encircled her wrist with his hand and plucked it from the water, pulling it up towards him.

“Can I?”

She nodded, yes. Of course he could.

Speechless, she maintained eye contact with him as he brought her forearm to his lips. The burning was reduced to a needy ache and ever so slowly, he kissed around the bite, nurturing the wound he inflicted. Rey is left stunned, frozen by the intensity of his eyes as he soothed the skin, his plump lips taking purchase of the flesh. The hold on her wrist tightened as he nosed the flesh, breathing in the scent there, a mixture of them both and kissed it one final time. 

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he confessed, in awe of the goddess in front of him, her nudity awoke new life in him; it rivalled all art and nature.

Incensed, she claimed his lips once more, a new urge settled deep within her, pooled in her stomach and lower. She clenched her thighs harder around his middle in response and Ben felt it, he felt the heat from her bare core. 

Ben gripped her hips, as he tasted her, his tongue parting her rose petal lips. He consumed her, caressing her tongue with his own and swallowed her moans. If this were a dream, if this was death, he would gladly take it and lose himself to the abyss. 

With one hand, he splayed his fingers along her taut stomach and round hips and moved it further upwards, brushing her pert nipple with his thumb.

“Ben, please,” Rey whined into his mouth, it came out as a breathy moan, bordering a silent scream. 

She was begging him but Ben did not need to be begged, he was the one at her mercy, bowed at her feet. 

Permission granted, he cupped her breast and squeezed, so gently he squeezed, his hand engulfed the little weight with his heat, and it seeped between them. Lowering his head, he pushed Rey further up his body and then he caught the delicious rosy pebble with his plush lips and suckled. Rey screamed in response as he worked it in his mouth, circling the bud with his sinful tongue.

This was heaven. Ben could die happy knowing he had elicited such pleasure from her, beguiled her in a pleasure of ecstasy. 

Rey groaned, breathing harshly as she watched him cup her other breast with his skilful hand, he kneaded it and pinched the neglected nipple with his forefinger and thumb, working it just as deliciously as the way his mouth used the other. 

Biting her lip, she cupped his jaw and he stopped his workings, peering at her curiously. He was not finished yet. She slid down his body and rocked against his lower half, unsurprised of the hardness she felt there. She was bare unlike him but she grinded against his thick alpha cock, the thin material of his boxer shorts the only thing separating their heated flesh. Even in the water, she could tell she was wet, soaked and slick, all for him. She used him, grinding and jutting shamelessly over his length, the sound of his groans spurred her on. 

Ben took a firm hold of her hips and rocked his cock against her heated centre, and settled between her parted folds. Moving his hands lower, he cupped the firm round globes of her ass and moved her to his pace, thrusting his hips in time with hers. Her core soared in delight and she moaned, falling forwards into the crook of his neck as his cock jutted against her sensitive clit. The rough material of his boxer shorts heightened it all, pushing her towards the edge.

“Fuck Rey, you are so warm, so wet. I can feel how much you want me,” Ben gritted out, he cursed the fabric between them, that separated him from driving home and finding purchase inside of her celestial heat but it was bliss, a hellish bliss. 

Rey, almost incoherent, flushed and kissed the crook of his neck, nodding.

“You want this cock inside of you, don’t you, little one?” he teased, growling in her ear in an effort to bring her out of her lustful stupor.

Flushed, Rey nodded, gasping as he thrust harder.

“Say it,” Ben demanded, slowing his movements, he hoped to draw a vocal response from her this way, then he would reward her. 

Rey, desperate for release, opened her eyes and mewled against his collarbone, reduced to a begging mess.

“I want you, all of you,” she yelled as he jutted his covered cock head right against her clit.

It only took a few more thrusts against her bud and she came undone, the orgasm blinding her vision, leaving her limbs weightless. Ben continued, chasing his own release, thrusting against her overly sensitive slit. Oh how it welcomed him.

Unable to stop herself, Rey reared her neck back and thrust it forward, clamping her teeth around his neck, above his sweat gland, the place where his pheromones were produced and called to her the most. It was intoxicating, alluring and she lost the battle.

She bit hard, much harder than she expected to do.

Ben roared as he came, the bite inducing his release. He seed spilled against her and into the water. He growled, gripping her waist with a bruising hold as he lashed out over the sensation, of her growing teeth sinking deeper into his gland. 

Ben’s movements immediately stilled as his blood trickled into her wanting, eager mouth. Rey sunk her teeth deeper into his skin, piercing it with her lengthened incisors and kept them there until the urge subsidised. Bewitched, she pulled away just a little and licked the wound, soothing it with her warm lips and saliva. The aftercare was almost as thrilling as the bite itself, her instincts humming and sated, marvelling over the appeasing sight.

Rey had claimed Ben, mated with him. Whatever she felt about him turning her, she had given herself to him in act that could not be reversed and the beast within her rejoiced, he was hers and she, his. 

Mating with him had been but a dream for years. She had pined for him, fallen in love with him with ease, like breathing, but it was real now, the implications heavy and weighed with consequences. 

Underneath her, Ben moaned, cooing her, praising her as her tongue flattened against the fresh bite mark, the soft ministrations soothing the ache.

Rey took her time cleaning the wound, dabbing each little indention with her tongue, fresh blood spilling passed her lips which she gladly swallowed, the creature within her commanded it of her. Growling, she sucked the wound until it bled no more and pressed one final kiss to the bruised, torn skin. 

Pulling back, but still oddly protective of her claim she found Ben’s gaze hotter than she had ever seen it before. It set her aflame, the way his molten sable eyes penetrated her, they both burned and drowned her in a flurry of flames and swallowed her whole but she did not fight, he was hers and she was his.

If only he would reciprocate the mating bite. 

“You marked me, claimed me…you mated me,” Ben whispered, his voice low and coarse, it sent a wave of heat between Rey’s legs as the alpha within him spoke.

Feeling bold, despite her fluttering heart, she pressed herself against him, needing to feel his skin against her own, a reprieve from the flames. The spark between them, the connection that pulsed through their bodies evoked a shudder from her.

“I did,” Rey confessed a daring smile on her bloody lips.

Ben stunned her as he cupped her jaw and kissed the blood from them, tasting the mixture of himself with her sweet essence. It was all too much. She did not expect such an intimate reaction, she thought her goading would have incited and teased his inner wolf, the alpha but this was Ben Solo who kissed her, who touched her so tenderly. 

A lone tear rolled from his musing eyes, it wet her lips as he gathered her in his arms, and kept them afloat. 

“Thank you,” he mumbled into her hair, he repeated it over and over, each a whisper, a resemblance of a prayer.

Rey’s insides warmed, his reaction and confirmation that he wanted, no, needed her mating mark was overwhelming, beyond anything she could have ever wished for. He wanted this too; he wanted her by his side for the rest of their days.

It was then she noticed that the burn in her arm had ceased and it hurt no more. Frowning, she pulled it free from the water and inspected it, gasping as the skin knitted together before her eyes. The gaping teeth marks, red and angry were reduced to neat little punctures, shallow in appearance, a ghost of its former self. A silver scar graced her tanned limb, a beautiful contrast like the moon and the sun. 

Confused, she looked up at Ben who was working his plump lips together.

“I am sure you have lots of questions, I will answer anything you ask and share my side of our story,” Ben assured her, his thumb grazed her scar and left a fire in its path. 

Curious, but hopeful that Ben would disclose everything; she nodded and peeled herself away from him. The loss of contact felt wrong but he kept close. They swam together, racing, laughing but Ben reached the deck first, hardly a surprise. His body was made for swimming, all long limbs and a tight core; it was memorising to see him work the water, gliding through it with ease, propelling himself faster than she ever could. 

An even better view was gifted to her when Ben pulled himself free from the water, his strong arms planted on the decking as the muscles in his back rippled and moved in perfect symphony. She watched transfixed as droplets of water cascaded down the wide expanse of his shoulders, all the way down to the dimples in his lower back. She wanted to kiss him dry, to taste every inch of him. With her mouth agape, she licked her lips. 

Ben smirked when he caught her staring, proud that his physique induced such a strong response from her. He offered her his hand and she stared at it, his long, slender fingers called to her like a beacon. Without hesitation, she placed her hand in his and in one swift movement; she was flying as Ben pulled her from the water. 

It was a rebirth, she was reborn, cleansed by the water and freed by Ben, the guilt, the hardship, and it all fell away.

She was breathless; his strength was something she would never fail to be in awe of, her alpha, he was so strong. 

Shivering, her eyes trailed to the bundle of clothes, towels and blankets at her feet, she realised she was bare before him, nude and entirely at the mercy of his lustful gaze. 

With the moon lighting her skin, she appeared more like a goddess to Ben. Her skin took on a pale glow as she turned to face him. Ben’s self-control was wavering, the gentleman inside him coaxed him to look away but the beast inside urged him to look on, to devour what was rightly his. Beaten, he let his eyes roam, they feasted and memorised every curve, the pinch of her waist, the flair of her round hips, and the swell of her breasts. Stepping forward, he kissed her forehead once more.

“Beautiful.”

Rey blushed and picked up one of the towels she brought and secured it around her and passed one to Ben. He in turn, picked up the blanket and wrapped it around her shoulders, worried that she was cold.

Together they stood on the deck and gazed at the stars, a comfortable silence lingering between the two. So much had changed, their lives would never be the same again but they had now, they could stand still for a moment.

A shooting star flew through dark sky, a ray of light in the darkness, a symbol of hope and Rey smiled.

“Ben did you see that?” Giddy, she turned to find him not looking at the sky, but at her.

“No, I only see you,” He admitted, the heat rising in his cheeks.

Rey grasped his hand and steered him towards her home, feeling cleansed, lighter than she had ever felt before. 

“Let’s go, we have much to discuss,” Rey said softly, her heart racing.

Ben kissed her hand and walked by her side, a united pair. 

He would follow her anywhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well...two days early huh? 
> 
> Quoting your favourite line is as good as extra kudos.
> 
> To sum up!
> 
> MATING COMPLETE? WHAAAT
> 
> Ben and Leia have an emotional conversation where she compares him to her father  
> Rey met Snoke...I TOLD YOU IT WAS NOT GOING TO GO THE WAY YOU EXPECTED.  
> Remember, this man is sly, he knows how to manipulate people and he pulled the rug out from under our Rey.
> 
> AND A REUNION...
> 
> A rather heated reunion...some dry humping..well not so dry :)  
> And Rey claimed him, reciprocating the mating mark.
> 
> Please leave me your thoughts/theories. I REALLY want to hear from you...let me know that the lake scene (my baby) was okay?


	11. Mates

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey and Ben talk things through with heated moments.
> 
> A startling discovery reveals a key point of Rey's past
> 
> A violent abduction and revelation about a family member changes everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to Rebecca and Wren for getting me through this slump, writer's block is a bitch when you know what you need to write but the words just don't come out. Thanks for putting up with my stressing <3
> 
> This is a long one...I advise reading it slowly or more than once so you do not miss important details.

With a sea of bright stars burning with a brilliant pallor of electric light overhead and a breeze at their backs, they walked hand in hand towards the cabin. Each stole heated, enchanted glances at the other, memorised over the events that had transpired between them.

Years of attraction and mutual pining had culminated in the explosion of the impassioned exchange and ended with Rey finally claiming her alpha. She had claimed Ben as her own for all to see.

As they strolled, almost swaying in the aftermath, Ben could not help but brush his fingertips across the bite and Rey noticed; a newfound possessiveness overwhelmed her as she eyed him, his slender digits dipping in the indentions and impressions that her teeth left behind. Although his bruising was healing and the freshness of the mark was waning, Rey was transfixed. She had coloured his skin with such an enticing mark, a fresh blossom. It was the colour of ripe cherries, albeit fading, which was bittersweet, but the claim tasted far sweeter, it was the combination of the two of them. Their blended scents would forever kiss and perfume his skin. He was hers.

Gravity no longer anchored her to the Earth, Ben did, and perhaps he always  _had_.

Averting her gaze, Rey swallowed hard and left Ben to fondle the evidence of her claim on him. She wondered why he had not returned the gesture, there was no doubt that he had wanted it, he wanted her. The way he had thanked her, whispering like a condemned man freed from his prison and her the angel who broke his chains, could not be ignored. Yet, he had left her wanting for her own branding by his teeth, she wanted to wear and display his claim on her and show it to the world with pride.

“Thank you for the flower,” Rey murmured, squeezing Ben’s hand.

It was such a simple gesture but with their fingers entwined, she felt a new sense of comfort, an intimacy, as their pulses and heat raced through their palms, binding them together as one.

As an avid gardener and fan of botany, she had already taken the steps necessary to preserve the flower; it lay pressed and drying in between the pages of one of her favourite novels, ‘Jane Eyre’. She hoped its fragrance would kiss the pages and linger there forever and so every time she read it, a trace of Ben and a reminder of his love would flit outwards like a breath of fresh air.

“You said my words meant nothing last week so I had to show you my feelings some other way,” Ben replied thoughtfully, inclining his head so he could stare at those captivating eyes, the ones that had drawn him to her all those years ago. He was nothing but a prisoner, her eyes playing the role of captor, they brought him to his knees, and they would enrapture him until the end of his days.

It still hurt to think of what had transpired between them, the way Rey had seemed so resolved in her intent to sever ties with him, to abandon any future that involved the two of them together.

Rey stilled, sensing his pain and gripped his hand tighter, she was fearful that he was going to disappear, that this had been a cruel dream and they were still separate, mourning and clutching their broken hearts with miles between them.

Lifting her hand, she cupped his jaw and soothed circles into his skin, his eye twitched with the contact.

“The things I said came from anger, my pain. I wanted to hurt you as you had me; there was no truth in them. I think I forgave you the moment you fell, bloodied by my own hand,” Rey whispered, her voice wobbled at the end as she recalled the sight that made her stomach churn.

She eyed his scar, a permanent reminder of her failure.

Ben was quiet for a moment and then mirrored Rey, and trailed his thumb along her cheekbone in a gentle slope.

“I will never hurt you again,” he promised quietly, leaning downwards as he pressed a chaste kiss on her lips.

She believed him. His words were like a gospel sermon and he was the most charming of preachers; she drank them in and would spout them out, converted; she was his most devout follower.

“I know,” Rey whispered.

She showed him she believed and trusted in him. Standing on her tiptoes, she wrapped her arms around Ben’s neck and guided him downwards so she could reach the place where she wanted her mouth to love. With an expert show of flourish, she skimmed his wound with care, Ben hissed in response but she continued her exploration and moved her hands downwards to grasp his bicep.

An overwhelming need to soothe the claim enveloped her so she listened to her body and rode her instincts.

“Rey,” Ben warned, his voice was low, almost a growl and it reverberated in his chest, and she could feel the vibration against her fingertips.

Ben gripped her forearms but it did very little to deter or sway Rey, in fact, it spurred her on, the idea of defying and testing her alpha was thrilling.

Twisting her neck, she settled above the bite and nosed it, inhaling deeply. His earthy scent, a pungent flavour of firewood and fresh pine engulfed her senses but underneath it all was something undoubtedly her, she had carved a piece of herself into him and it was enough to override any notion she had before about talking.

With a strength she did not know she possessed, she easily manoeuvred her arms out of his loose hold and pulled him downwards to the grass. With his back to the earth, she straddled his hips and caged him below her, her thighs clenched over his hips and she began her ascent. Ben was breathing hard, his nostrils flaring at such a bold and unexpected move. She knew that alphas were often the instigators, the ones who possessed most of the control and lead but it was breath taking to see him below her, helpless and at her mercy. She wondered if he liked it.

His hands found her hips and he bared his teeth, she winked, smirking at him as the urge soothe the bite spiked once more.

Once again, her heated eyes zeroed in on the mating claim and she slithered up his bare torso, supporting herself on his meaty thighs and anchored herself to the mark. She skimmed it with her tongue, relishing the taste, a mixture of them. She hummed against his skin, suckling the sweet spot; lewd moans filled the woods around them.

“Rey, we need to talk,” Ben gritted out, he fingered her hair and splayed his hand across her upper back.

She continued her workings, much too lost in her own instincts, the ones that told her to please the alpha before her, to accommodate his every need. Leaving a trail of hot breaths from his shoulder to his bite, she moved higher, carving her claim on the column of his throat, her tongue flicking and rolling over the grooves and hearty pulse hammering below the skin.

Ben growled, groaning aloud. He thrust his hips upwards as he grew hard beneath her, he could feel her bare, wet heat through his boxer shorts and it was calling to him, she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

“You wanted to talk, we need to talk before we go any further,” Ben tried, his voice little more than a breathy whisper, his self-control was wavering.

His instincts built up inside of him and threatened to overpower him. Something ancient called for him to consummate the mating and he wanted nothing more than to do that but he could not, not whilst Rey was in the dark to so many things.

“Rey, we need to stop so we can talk, I want you so badly, more than anything I have ever wanted in my life but we need to discuss things, just like you said,” he was pleading with her as if he was a beta, he was spineless, powerless as Rey conquered him.

It was a foreign concept to feel so vulnerable, he could not recall a time where he felt less like an alpha in his life.

Ben gripped her hip with one hand and rested the other across her abdomen as she rocked against him. Growling, he feasted her with his eyes and rolled her, Kylo was screaming and breaking to the surface, cracking through Ben’s compelling self-control. His inner wolf demanded that he take her and make her scream his name into the trees. He would splay her legs and have her until he spilled his seed deep within her and the soil beneath them, he would make a bounty to the earth and wait for produce.

“Claim me, mate me back, please, make me yours” Rey whined and clawed at his expansive back, it was bare beneath her fingertips, she broke the skin and laid claim to him once again, leaving streaks of rich vermillion in her wake.

Ben reared his head and stilled. She did not know the significance of his bite and that was enough for him to vanquish Kylo and send him back inwards. His reasoning and self-control resurfaced, emerging right and true through the lustful haze.

Rey frowned and looked up at her alpha, he was breathing through gritted teeth and his eyes were clenched shut.

Had she done something wrong? Did he not want to mate her? The depth of her insecurity was crushing and all consuming, it settled deep within her bones but Ben was there to assure and sway her against such a wayward and nonsensical notion.

After a moment, he opened them and gazed down at her, his dusky eyes glazed as he moved a wisp of her hair from her face.

“Rey, we are mated,” he confessed, eyeing her reaction she carefully.

He waited with bated breath, as Rey went through the notions of acceptance, her eyes were expressive, they guarded a capacious and vast array of personal thoughts well but he could read her blind even without delving into her mind and plucking her beliefs from her head.

Stunned, Rey’s hazy desire retreated, her heart rate reverted into its quiet thumps and she was no longer overcome with the want to provoke him into returning the bite she bestowed upon him. He had been the one who had waited for her to mate him and she did so in the throes of passion, unknowingly she had freed them both from their wanting in the water.

Appreciating how lofty his confession was, Ben pulled Rey up into a sitting position, his arms encircling her dainty waist as he drew her near. Releasing the breath he had been holding, he tentatively thumbed her scar; his hot breaths nurtured it in humid waves. He shivered as he traced it, he treated it like the most precious of treasures, something worthy of his worship, it was a silent declaration of his love for her and she wore it beautifully. It spanned the length of her forearm, a stark, silvery white against her golden skin, a mark befitting of a goddess. It looked like a dream now that it had healed; it was a direct result of her reciprocating the mating bond with a bite of her own.

Absentmindedly, he palmed his own bite, it was steadily healing and he despised it, he wanted it fresh and raw, he wanted to feel the phantom pleasure of Rey’s incisors deep within his flesh long after they had carved a bruising path inside him.

“The bite manifested into a mating mark due to my feelings for you, it is rare but not unheard of, I have seen it mentioned in one of our sacred texts,” Ben explained quietly, gauging Rey’s reaction.

Sniffing, Rey listened intently and followed his finger that danced a languid path across her forearm, circling her scar. It sat situated in a highly visible area and so Ben had granted her wish, she would display it with pride and show the world that she was claimed and pleasantly mated.

Knowing she was his was overwhelming and it thrilled her. For years, she had lusted after him and dreamed of one day being his and for all these weeks, she had been but she did not know it. It shook her right down to her core but it simmered as the information settled in her spinning mind. She realised that perhaps a part of her knew it all along, it explained why she had felt so notably drawn to him, magnetised to his presence more powerfully than she usually did.

Not knowing how to express herself, she lurched forward, a loud sob erupting from her gaping mouth as she shuffled further into his embrace. He was there, his arms acting as her anchor as he rocked her, whispering sweet nothings into her crown.

“It was all I ever wanted,” she said, her words nothing more than a hushed whisper.

Ben clutched her earnestly, his smile over her confession was blinding, and he felt like his heart and mind could finally rest. She wanted this, she wanted him.

“Me too, I have wanted you since the moment I met you. Back then I thought there was no hope for us with what I am, I could not expose you to this but with your turning and your heritage, it means we can be together, sunshine.”

“My heritage?” Rey asked, the curiosity within her burned with new life, she wanted to know the entirety of what he knew.

Ben nodded, his eyes gleamed as he leaned back to study her, the corners of his lips curled into a gentle, reassuring smile. Moving his arm lower down her back, he rubbed small circles into the arch of her spine, he soothed her so well, unlike anyone had ever done before. She groaned as his nimble fingers massaged the knots from her muscles. Alphas were infamous for their caregiving and nurturing natures that contrasted wholly with their intimidating, brute strength and natural role as a fearless leader. They could mollify their mates with relative ease.

“Come, there is something else I need to tell you.”

Ben stood, hoisting Rey upwards with him and set her down, he noted the blush that decorated her cheeks as he lifted her as if she weighed nothing. He beamed with pride; his mate admired his strength, the power of his well-honed body.

They strolled towards the cabin; Rey leaned against his broad frame for support. She was exhausted after the day’s events and rightfully so, sleep called to her like a charming lullaby. Once they reached the steps, Rey continued her climb, not noticing Ben had stopped moving.

“Rey, I cannot pass,” he called softly from behind her, alerting her to his predicament.

Almost drained, she spun and eyed him; the invisible barrier that the moonstones created and weaved around the cabin had succeeded once again in keeping him from her. It was an odd, almost surreal dilemma as she anticipated that with their mating, the stones would grant him access. Clearly, that was not the case.

Sighing, she bit her lip and pondered to herself while Ben stood patiently at the bottom of the steps. She thought back to her grandfather’s warning and how she had rarely looked at the spots she had helped him dig that day when he planted the stones. As she grew, she was fearful that even standing upon the designated areas would somehow tarnish the protection and she wanted nothing more at the time to keep the nightmares away, both in her dreams and reality so she complied with her grandfather’s instructions. She could still recall the precise positions; they sat spread out in the formation of a star. However, it was the final moonstone that they had buried that stuck with Rey. Unlike the others of the set, there was blood nestled deep within its hollowed core, Kenobi blood. It powered the stones and cemented their bloodline as the recipients as the gift of the stones, the protection as the weighty and most sought over prize.

What if Ben’s blood somehow became infused with her families’ inside its middle? How could she accomplish such an arduous task?

“I will be right back.”

Rey rushed into the cabin, she lit it up by flicking light switches as she moved through the space. She stopped for a second when she reached her bedroom and dropped her towel; she was surprised that it managed to stay on throughout everything. She had almost forgotten how exposed she was but it did not matter, not with Ben, as he was the entranced viewer of her flesh. Blushing, she felt her body warm as she thought back to how she straddled him and exerted full control over him.

Shaking her head, she rummaged in her wardrobe and pulled out some flimsy sleep clothes appropriate for the ripe and blistering heat of high summer. She dressed quickly into her loose shorts that barely hung mid-thigh and her favourite grey camisole; it hugged her newly acquired curves perfectly and flaunted her womanly figure, it accented her round hips, pinched waist and perky breasts.

Satisfied, she walked to the back of the cabin to the small storage closet. It was full, brimming with a wide selection of gardening tools, more evidence of Rey’s keenness and passion for gardening and botany. Grabbing a small spade she deemed sufficient enough for her plans, she turned and jogged back outside the cabin, greeting Ben with a timid smile.

Ben was observing her curiously, his brows raised at the small spade in her hand but then he trailed the length of her body, admiring her change of clothes. She watched him as his tongue wet his lips, his eyes settling on the curve of her hips.

She wondered if he admired the changes in her. Did he see her as she saw him?

Knowing time was of the essence due to her ever-increasing tiredness, Rey descended the steps, brushing past him playfully as she moved towards the piece of land where the blood moonstone was located, it was only a few feet from the steps.

“You mentioned something about the stones keeping monsters out, I guess that extends to other wolves,” Ben mused from behind her as he followed her, watching her closely.

Rey nodded and bent over at the middle as she touched a spot of grass in front of her. She pressed her palm to the earth, closed her eyes and opened her mind, envisioning what lay beneath and after a moment, she felt it, she felt the pull of its mystical power, it was under there.

“My grandfather buried moonstones around the cabin when I was a young girl. He said it was for our protection and that it would keep us safe. I was naïve when I asked if it kept monsters away but he said they did,” she admitted, her voice trailed off near the end.

Did she think of herself as a monster? Ben was certainly not one and he was a wolf, they both were.

Ben was quiet for a moment as he accessed her words, he could hear her thoughts and she was projecting them through the bond in a manic flurry of loud worries.

“Your grandfather was a wolf, Rey.”

Rey dropped the spade and stood straight, her spine composed entirely of rigid ice. Her heart plummeted to her stomach and she grasped her middle, breathing harshly out of her nose. She had suspected he knew of the existence of wolves, there was no other reason for him to use the stones otherwise. He being a wolf had never crossed her mind; it was not a blip on her radar.

“No he was not,” she whispered fervently as the nausea swarmed and built up inside her. She fisted the front of her camisole as she shook her head.

It was too much to consider. If he were a wolf, he would have told her, they only ever had each other for the past two decades and he would not keep such a thing from her. Surely, he would not build their lives on a lie, a betrayal that heavy would cut her deep, sever and chop at the memories of her beloved grandfather. It was a sickening idea.

“Rey, I am sorry but he was. He was the leader of my pack until he left; he left the role to my father and disappeared. The Kenobi line is one of the first our kind. It is ancient and powerful and you are the sole living descendent as far as I know,” Ben was torn, wishing he had delivered the news in a kinder way.

“No,” Rey’s lip wobbled, she shook her head again and the denial was a central part of her coping mechanism.

The truth hurt.

“Search your feelings; you know I am not lying to you, Rey. Our bond is powerful; our connection is unlike anything I have ever seen. I think we can communicate with our minds so try breach mine. Think about it, Rey, why else would he have possessed something as rare as the moonstones that specifically keep our kind away. He was protecting you, sweetheart.”

Rey glared at him because of his perfect reasoning. Her face only softened when she thought about the truth in his words and she felt no deceit or ill will in him.

She rushed up to him, almost delirious as she planted her palms on either side of his head, she gripped his inky tresses and tugged, he hissed in response.

“How do I read your mind, I could hear your thoughts in our wolf forms but I do not know how do it likes this,” she beseeched, loosening her hold on his hair.

Ben stood stunned for a brief moment before he covered her hands with his own, he would guide her.

“Mind reading is usually a skill only alphas master. The other night though, you called to me in your head, I think you had a nightmare. I think it means our mating bond has created a powerful connection between us, one based around telepathy. Imagine using my power as your own, siphon it and envision yourself exploring my mind,” he urged her; he had no doubt she could accomplish anything.

Rey let the information sink into her mind. Ben had heard her the night she dreamed of the attack on them. Had he heard her scream his name into the darkness as he fell to his knees, incapacitated by the tiny prick of a dart? He had fallen and she had not, each struck and only one delivered to the ground. She wondered if he knew that he had begged her to run, to save herself as he lost consciousness.

Concentrating, she closed her eyes and focused on Ben’s mind. It was bright, full of golden rays of sun, it was almost blinding but she persevered as the images warped and flowed, tales of times past and memories blurring into one until his own attention focused on a set of conversations. Her own mind was filled with whispers; one was of Ben sitting with an older woman, a woman with eyes reminiscent of his, his mother she assumed, and the woman told him of his namesake, Ben Kenobi. There was a flash of a photo, one that included her grandfather and Ben’s mother; they were both much younger and embracing. Another memory settled front and centre, a man held her pendant and he asked Ben if the woman attacked was a Kenobi.

Gasping, she retreated out of his mind, the whole experience was dizzying and insightful and she knew there was no arguing against his truths.

“He lied to me, my grandfather lied to me. If my bloodline is so important and all powerful, then why did I not turn?” She thought aloud, she was oddly calm and accepting of her fate.

“Females of our kind tend to transform later in life. The woman you found in the woods that night was Phasma and it was her first time turning. She is thirty. Most of our kind transform as teens, I was an anomaly, I transformed at age five.”

“Ben…I cannot imagine how difficult that was for you,” she moved forward and held his hand, she hoped she could sooth him as he did her.

She imagined a young boy with rumbustious, dark curls as he writhed in agony, his body contorting and aligning into something new. The pain was unbearable, so much so, that the boy begged for death but it did not come for him, he was shown no mercy and convulsed in aching misery until the boy was no more; a tiny wolf claiming his place.

“I am okay; do not pity me, Rey. I was among my own kind, my parents guided me through the transition and they have been painless ever since,” he assured her, her anguish was palpable.

“I feel like my life is a lie. How could he do this to me?” She wondered and nuzzled into his chest, in his arms she felt at peace.

“Your grandfather was an intelligent man, a strong leader. He took his secrets to the grave but I can only guess that he kept it from you to keep you safe, maybe he hoped you would not turn,” Ben pondered. He could not pretend to know his namesake’s reasoning but he knew that the man had been a diligent and mindful leader.

“He left me, he died and left me clueless and without the knowledge of who I really am, about who our family were, he almost feels like a stranger,” it hurt to admit such a thing but her grandfather wounded her in a way she had never deemed possible.

“He was your grandfather first and foremost, that will never change. You knew who he was as a person.”

Rey nodded, sniffing. Ben was right, of course he was. Ben Kenobi was not just a wolf; he was a loving father, a devoted grandfather. He had raised her without hesitation and left her wanting for nothing. He had poured his heart into making sure her childhood was filled with joy and beautiful memories and she would treasure those times with him, she would not let his past contort her feelings towards him.

“I could have turned without your bite,” Rey realised, gazing once more at her forearm.

“It is a possibility; you are much younger than Phasma so it could have happened naturally. The bite triggered the werewolf gene within you,” Ben elaborated and kissed the inside of her wrist.

Rey nodded and turned her attention once more to the moonstones.

“I hope this works, I want to get inside and sit down. I need to decompress.”

Rey kneeled on the grass, retrieved the fallen spade, and braced herself. She hoped what she had planned would work and that when the stone was reburied, it would continue protecting the cabin, it had become a lifeline to her, something she could rely on.

She recalled what Old Ben Kenobi told her whenever she faced a crisis in her life.

_“Kenobi’s are strong, we will never break,” he would say._

It was their family motto. Now she knew the depth of his words. She thought she was strong, someone who could face adversity and challenges in life thanks to her upbringing but now she was physically strong, the final living descendant of an ancient and powerful bloodline.

Exhaling, she sliced into the grass and shovelled the dirt away. She was careful not to work too harshly; she did not want to disturb the precious stone underneath or damage it in anyway. She could not risk losing the protection it brought to the cabin. Although she knew Ben meant her no harm, she did not know of other wolves in his pack or beyond them or what danger actually entailed with being a wolf. This was a whole new world and she had not even begun to explore it, she was a spectator looking in despite the weight of her prestigious bloodline on her shoulders and the rightness she felt about being a part of it.

After a minute of careful sifting through the rich soil, she made contact with the moonstone. She set the spade aside and reached in, curling her hand around its smooth surface and freed it from the earth. Instinctively, she raised her find to the moon, revealing it to the pale giant, only half of its face on show. The rainbow of colours reflected along its translucent exterior. Deep within the stone, the blood of an ancestor, a fellow Kenobi, sloshed around in the interior, its vermillion shade vibrant and enthralling.

“I have read about the power of moonstones in one of our ancient and sacred texts. Very few of our kind possess the skill or knowledge how to power them or wield them in such a way, your ancestor was remarkable in that respect,” Ben said and crouched beside Rey and gazed in amazement at the stone.

Sensing his awe and natural curiosity about the prized artefact, she offered it to him and coaxed him to take it.

Ben, almost giddy, handled it as if a single wrong move would result in him crushing it. It settled in the middle of his palm and he scrutinised it carefully.

“The shield is down with the stone being removed from its position. You can enter the cabin now,” Rey informed him, she eyed the cabin, a new sense of vulnerability filled her being.

Without the moonstones, she was exposed, vulnerable. Until she learned the full extent of her new powers and learned the ways of her inner wolf, she was almost defenceless against any threat.

“We should put it back in, I will not risk your safety,” Ben told her firmly and looked wistfully at the stone once more before he offered it back to her.

She did not take it. Biting her lip, she eyed the stone and wondered if her plan would succeed. There was no harming in trying.

“I want to try something, I do not know if it will work but it is worth a try,” Rey explained.

She reached for Ben’s free hand and turned it upwards. Without warning, she imagined the nail on her forefinger transforming like it had when she was in the midst of her change. To her surprise, it worked, her nail warped into a sharp, deadly claw.

She raised the claw to her palm and sliced across it in one quick motion, the biological weapon cut through her flesh with ease, she hissed.

“Rey!” Ben yelled, exasperated, he grasped her palm and applied pressure.

Rey held onto his free hand and faced his palm upwards towards the moon once again. She repeated the action, tearing through his flesh and quickly squeezed his bloody hand in her own. Unlike Rey, Ben did not hiss or flinch.

“The moonstone requires blood to function and to know who it protects, if we combine our own, maybe your blood can become a part of it.”

Ben eyed her unsure of the plan but gripped her hand tighter before transferring the stone in between their palms and squeezing once more.

Nothing happened at first and Rey slumped, defeated.

“Look, Rey,” Ben murmured.

Rey uncurled her hand from around the stone just enough to see that it was glowing; a brilliant candescence of pure white lit the area between their flesh. She watched in fascination as the stone absorbed their combined blood, it seeped into the centre and rooted itself there. The glowing stopped then, their accelerated healing had healed their palms.

Rey stretched her hand and curled her fingers once or twice to access movement. It was as if she had not wounded herself. The blood dried quickly in the night air.

“Do you think it worked?” She asked, smiling hopefully at Ben.

His eyes were glazed, an impish smirk gracing his features. She wondered if he had ever witnessed such a palpable display of magic before.

“There is only way to find out.”

Rey hovered over the spot where she had retrieved the moonstone from and lifted it to the moon once more. She sent out a silent wish that it would work and then buried it, patting the soil back in place.

She flashed Ben a coy smile, took off running, and launched herself up the porch steps, finding she could pass through with ease. Ben was behind her, she prepared for the sight of him crashing against the invisible barrier but instead he barrelled forward.

“It worked,” he breathed out in disbelief.

“Is the barrier still up?” Rey asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

“I could feel it, it is still there.”

They celebrated, she jumped into his arms and he swung her around.

Both breathless, they laughed; it was something that neither of them had experienced in a long time considering the events of the last few weeks. Rey felt lighter, no longer weighted down with crippling fear that had once threatened to break her. No longer did pain or anxiety ripple incessantly through her frame and make her lame. She was free.

“Come on, let’s get you inside. Are you not cold?” She asked playfully.

Ben stood in front of her wearing nothing but his boxer shorts. She touched his forearm and found him warmer than her.

“I am hot, it is an alpha thing,” he winked.

Rey blushed; it was unusual to see the forward and playful side of Ben but she liked it, it was a brilliant sight to see him relatively carefree and joyous. She decided to play his game and closed the distance between them. She raised her forefinger, placed it above his beating heart, and then trailed it downwards, ever so slowly. She continued her descent downwards and admired his physique and feeling him beneath her.

She stopped when she reached his naval.

“Yes, you are,” she grinned and then turned, opening the door for him.

She heard Ben growl behind her, a low guttural sound that sent a shot of heat between her legs, she throbbed there and he felt it, he could smell her.

Ben followed her in, closing the door behind him and advanced upon her, he stalked her as a predator does its prey, his eyes dangerously dark, and his pupils dilated and wide. Rey backed up until there was nowhere left to go, she hit the wall and watched as he smiled victoriously and revealed his canines as he hummed at her. Her heart raced in anticipation as he walled her in, he planted each of his hands on the wall behind her on either side of her neck and lowered his face to her. His eyes narrowed as he breathed in and pressed his body flush against her own. She could not breathe and she could not look away.

“Do you like teasing your alpha?” He enquired, carefully pronouncing each word with a flick of his tongue, his voice deeper than she had ever heard before.

Despite her arousal, she wanted to provoke him and meet the other side of Ben Solo, she wanted to wake the beast within, it was a raw and primal need.

She jutted her chin upwards, an act of defiance against him.

“Yes.”

He grabbed her chin with his forefinger and thumb and she gasped, chest heaving. It was thrilling.

“My little mate is so bold, I will have to teach her how to behave when she addresses her alpha,” Ben licked his lips and studied her, admiring how reactive she was to him.

“Yes you do,” Rey whispered as Ben released the soft grip on her chin and dipped one finger just past the seam of her rosy, wet lips.

She welcomed the intrusion.

She caressed the digit with her tongue, lavishing it with attention.

Ben hummed in approval.

“Can you take all of it?”

Rey was not sure, Ben’s fingers were so long, thick but she nodded, and ever so slowly, he pushed his entire finger in her mouth. She adjusted quickly and hollowed her cheeks to accommodate it. It tickled the back of her throat but she did not gag, she relaxed and gazed into the heated eyes of her alpha and awaited his approval.

“Well done,” he crooned, pushing it in and out a few times before withdrawing his finger from the heat that her pretty little mouth offered and wiped the saliva across her lips before he claimed them with his own.

He devoured her. Their tongues caressed each other, dancing a lover’s dance as they moved in perfect harmony. They each fought for dominance in the kiss but ultimately Ben won. He left her moaning and whimpering into his open mouth, he chuckled and continued the kiss with a bruising and feverish urgency.

The sounds of ‘I’m Too Sexy’ filled the cabin and Rey groaned into his mouth and removed her fingers from his silky tendrils.

“Ignore it,” Ben pleaded, gripping her waist.

“It is Poe’s ringtone,” Rey said exasperatedly, manoeuvring past Ben.

She followed the sound of her phone. She jogged to her bedroom and plucked it off her bedside table.

Rey had not heard from the Poe, Finn or Rose during their summer travels in Europe. She could not blame though, they were occupied and she had no doubt the throuple were christening every country they travelled through. For a bunch of betas, they were insatiable. She was close to them all, they were her family and best friends but she was closest with Poe, he adopted the role of older brother and took the title seriously. They were like siblings in every way except blood.

If Rey was honest with herself, she was thankful for the interruption. Around Ben, she lost all sense and her inhibitions were reduced to nothing. She was a virgin, she was unsure if Ben knew that and she had no idea what she was doing, she was groping around in the dark and away from him she felt the insecurity of her inexperience.

She had never experienced attraction like it before, betas were notorious for their lack of sex drives and it served Rey well. Over the years, it meant her grandfather did not have to chase away any randy teenage boys from her room, instead she chose to concentrate on her studies but meeting Ben was something else entirely, he had stopped her world revolving and she only saw him.

He awoke the desire within her, it was both chilling and thrilling, and it was something she desperately wanted to explore with him.

She answered the call and tried to control her heavy breathing, she could still taste Ben on her lips and it was more than distracting.

“Rey! I miss you little sis,” Poe slurred down the phone.

Rey rolled her eyes and huffed, suppressing a laugh as she sunk down onto her bed.

“Someone is drunk, hello Poe, how is everyone?” She asked her voice light, she was glad he was okay.

The past few weeks had been hell for her and she missed her friends. She had kept the attack from them and isolated herself from everyone but Ben; she could not shake him even when she did not want him to see her falling apart.

“We are all good Reybaby; remind me, why did you not come with us?” He whined into the phone, she heard the bass of some obnoxious foreign pop song in the background.

Rey chuckled, rolling her eyes at the mention of her nickname.

“I had to work and I did not want to listen to my best friends screwing their way through Europe, I heard enough through college!”

Poe laughed boisterously down the line.

“I was calling to let you know that we are back in just over a week and that I really want to drink tequila with you again!”

She shook her head at such a plan, which was not happening.

“I do not plan on dying anytime soon so no, no tequila.”

“We will see. I have to go, Finn and Rose are sandwiched between these hot German guys and I want in on it, love you, bye sis,” Poe slurred once more and the line went dead.

It was abrupt and expected but she was admittedly ecstatic to hear from him, he sounded as if he was having a fun time and she was happy for him, she was happy all for them.

She stood and rummaged in her closet and found some old sweats and a plaid shirt that had belonged to her grandfather. Old Ben was tall and broad, not as imposing or as heavily built as Ben was but she hoped they would fit to some extent.

She found Ben kneeling in front of the trunk she had found under the trap door. He was weaving his fingers along the patterns of it, the leaves and trees but also the symbols, he paid special interest to the alpha symbol that was painted a glorious shade of crimson. Rey dropped the clothes on the couch and approached him, bending.

“I cannot seem to figure out how to open it, there is no keyhole, it doesn’t budge,” she told him.

“The crimson of the alpha symbol, it is like your eyes,” she added, inclining her head to the side.

She was disappointed; she wanted to know of the treasures that lay inside. Was there more photos of her parents? Did Old Ben leave something for her to explain why he had hidden the truth from her? She was eager to know.

“Yes it is and the omega is painted gold like your eyes. I have never seen wolves with crimson or gold eyes, it is most curious.”

Rey stilled. She knew that omegas were the true counterparts of alphas and Ben deserved one for himself but she was not one, she was a beta and it stung deep. She chose to ignore his statement.

“I think I have an idea, is your pendant here?” Ben mused as his hand roamed upwards from the alpha symbol until he reached the carving of the Kenobi crest.

Rey nodded and grabbed her pendant from the mantle and handed it to him.

Ben observed it for a moment before he pulled the crystal free from the necklace.

“Ben!” Rey yelled, what was he thinking? Destroying her pendant, a family artefact.

“It slides in and out, look,” he demonstrated by slotting it back in place and it did. He shook it to demonstrate that it was secure and did not fall out of place.

Rey calmed and motioned for him to continue his theory.

Ben freed it once more and moved to the trunk, the Kenobi crest lay carved out in all its glory but it was missing the crystal. With delicacy, Ben eyed the spot where the crystal laid in the pendant, found the same spot on the trunk, and pushed it in place.

There was a soft click; the crystal took on a hazy blue glow.

Ben sat back, clearly pleased with himself and motioned for Rey to open it. She deserved the privilege of opening it.

Rey smiled and moved the top, it creaked as it opened, almost sighing in relief from its neglect, the hinges squeaked.

Inside revealed a wealth of information. There was dozens of old books, piles of photos, letters, journals and silver metal boxes.

“Wow,” Ben breathed, he noted that some of the older books were sacred texts quite similar to the ones his own family possessed, he was fascinated and hoped Rey would allow him to devour the words.

Rey chose to inspect one of the silver boxes; she opened it, and stared at its contents.

Sat inside were dozens of syringes, each filled with a viscous brown liquid with swirls of faint blue and hues of violet churning inside of it.

She recognised it too well and the memories assaulted her. It was what her grandfather used on her as a kid, she gasped, dropping the box. The dreaded injections, she cringed as she felt the phantom burning and convulsing at the forefront of her mind.

Ben retrieved a syringe; bringing it close to his nose. He breathed in and hissed, and dropped the concoction as if it had burned him. He moved away from it, snarling like a wild animal. Despite her own turmoil about seeing the needles again, Rey stood and calmed him.

“What is it?” She asked softly and gripped his forearms.

Ben looked down at her, he was breathing hard, the instinct to run from the substance was overpowering.

“Rey, this is Wolfsbane, a poison to our kind. There is something else in there but I do not know what,” he explained carefully, resisting the urge not to crush the box and expel its contents from his sight.

“Aconitum napellus,” Rey breathed out quietly, opting to address it by its scientific name.

She knew of the plant, she had read about it in textbooks before but she had never encountered it in person, she had not felt the need to.

“I don’t understand why your grandfather would have so much of it,” Ben added, frustrated, he started to pace.

Rey looked down sadly.

“Ben…for years he injected me with it. I was four when it started and it stopped when I was eighteen,” she said quietly.

She thought of the images of her convulsing in her grandfather’s arms and imagined the pain as if she was experiencing it now; it was fresh, white hot and uncomfortable.

Ben’s eyes nearly bugged out of his head as he read her thoughts, witnessed the images for himself, he could feel what she had felt, it was excruciating and it was something he did not wish to experience again.

Then he was hit with the disturbing and numbing realisation.

“That is why you didn’t turn into a wolf, he used the poison as some kind of inhibitor, and he must have mixed it with a powerful suppressant,” Ben growled and pulled her close.

Rey was in shock. The injections that her grandfather insisted were for her own good had ended up stunting her chance to transform naturally. He was so intent on her not becoming like him that he had slowly poisoned her, it made her sick to the stomach. Why had he worked so tirelessly to keep her from his own kind? Why had he kept her hidden away?

“Can we go to bed? I am so tired, I am struggling to cope with this,” Rey admitted, she was weak; reverting to the woman she had been after the attack.

She could not drown, not now. She did not want to do that.

“Of course,” Ben whispered, and brushed his lips across her forehead and planted a kiss there.

He scooped her up in his arms bridal style and carried her into the bedroom; she nuzzled into his warmth and felt the waves of calm radiate through her. Her alpha worked to nurture her as he placed her on the bed and wrapped the blankets around her.

“Please stay,” she whispered into the darkness.

As if he could deny her.

He settled into the bed, Rey shuffled closer to him, hiking her leg over his thighs and laid her head above his heart, her tears soaking his skin.

“Sleep, sweetheart,” Ben whispered.

She did, they both fell asleep, the weight of the night heavy on their minds but together they found peace.

xxx

Rey woke with a start and for the first time in weeks, she was not plagued with nightmares filled with Ben bloodied and hurt or collapsing at her feet. There was no wolves stalking her through the trees as she ran for her life, there was nothing and she was comforted by that, perhaps her torment had ended. Although her night had been dreamless, she was not refreshed, bleary eyed and somewhat still exhausted, she nestled deeper into her pillow in hope that sleep would find her once more.

It took more time than she was willing to admit for her to grasp that her ‘pillow’ was in fact, Ben. They had shifted positions during the night, her body lay draped across him, he played the part of both mattress and pillow but he did not seem phased, in fact, he looked perfectly comfortable, his strong arms cradled her to his chest and his thighs accommodated her lower half with ease, his hardness pressed against her naval.

Nuzzling closer into his enticing and all-encompassing warmth, she breathed in his natural scent, the familiar fragrance of fresh firewood and pine, she decided upon a new ideal.

She never wanted to wake up alone again.

A hoarse yell shattered their shared bliss.

“Ben!” came a shout from outside the cabin.

Frowning, Rey untangled herself from the man in question, her body was immediately mournful over the loss of his heat and the feel of him below her. Ben did not stir; he was the image of peace, his face serene and young looking as he slept.

Not wanting to waste time gawking at him, Rey pulled her robe from the closest and wrapped it around her, tying the sash around her middle as she left the room.

“Ben!” The voice was growing frantic with every moment that passed so she quickened her advance towards the door, anxious of what would greet her.

She opened it and saw a young blonde woman at the bottom of the steps of the cabin. The woman appeared dishevelled; she was dressed in pyjamas coated in blood, her round face was a mosaic of pale skin, a coral flush and hefty blotches of black soot decorated her nose and cheeks.

“Is Ben inside? I tracked his scent here but I cannot seem to move any closer to the cabin. You are Reyna Kenobi, yes?” The woman was frantic, her eyes shiny and rimmed red, her voice was croaky with what Rey assumed was smoke inhalation.

What was going on? She looked as if she had just crawled out of a burning building.

The perimeter of the moonstones was in tact, the shield still worked and for that, Rey felt a little more at ease but her anxiety lingered, it laid in wait for what was to follow.

Rey swallowed and eyed the short woman once more, noting how distraught she was, her body was exhibiting all the signs of hysteria, and her entire body was shaking.

“I am Rey, Ben is here, I will go get him for you.”

Ben appeared behind her, clearly flustered and confused. He had pulled on the clothes she had laid out for him, he wore her grandfather’s clothes well, the plaid shirt was snug against his frame, unbuttoned and open as it was too small, revealing his torso.

“Tallie, what is wrong?”

The woman, Tallie, sobbed as soon as Ben emerged, her shoulders raking inwards as she struggled to compose herself. She breathed out, a whimper emitted outwards.

“Kaydel has been taken, Ben there was so much blood and they burned our cabin, I tried to stop them!” Tallie cried out as she scrubbed fresh tears from her eyes.

Rey gasped, she knew of Ben’s adopted sister, she had seen her face in photos that decorated his homely office. Worried, she averted her attention to Ben, his mouth was set into a thin line and his skin took on a peaky shade as he paled before her eyes. His shoulders slumped as the words sunk in.

“Has my mother contacted Luke? He might be behind this.” He demanded, his voice was husky, it rumbled deep from within his mighty chest.

He turned towards Rey with a new fever in his eyes, it was the look of a man possessed, one who feared he was about to lose it all. It was the look of a poised alpha ready to protect his mate, consequences be damned.

He had never looked more unlike the Ben Solo she had known for years, this was his inner beast, a primal being freed from the depths of his soul and fleshy prison.

The creeping sense of anticipation filled her being and settled in her bones, she shivered, her mouth agape and eyes wide as Ben approached her, his face a facade of artificial calm. She knew the act well; he was trying to protect her and to ease her worries. The very notion of it coiled in her heart and bled within, she wanted to help him, to pull him back from whatever edge he walked upon, the one where his inner wolf besieged control of all his reasoning.

“Let me help you, who is Luke?” Rey begged.

The words were lost on Ben, deflected by the heavy presence of Kylo who screamed inside of him to ensure the safety of his mate first. Their mating was too fresh for him to compromise about her presence anywhere other than the safety of the cabin.

Alphas were notorious in their obsessive desire and their innate need to shield their mates from harm and Ben was no exception, it engulfed him.

He silenced her by securing a firm hold on her wrists. He pulled her towards the entrance of the cabin and walked her backwards, his feet nudging hers as she resisted, unsure of why she could not go with him, she would follow him anywhere, to the pits of hell if need be.

“You are going to stay here and you are not going to leave the cabin,” Ben urged Rey.

She wanted to protest, to follow him even if it meant endangering herself. It was useless though, he had used an alpha command, a compulsion and although Rey had fought it once before, she found herself losing this new war, shackled and chained by his words.

“What is going on? Ben, please, I do not understand!” Rey was frantic and shook as she attempted to fight the compulsion, but with every step, she lost a new battle and she admitted defeat.

Ben endeavoured to calm and sedate his mate and her worries as she gazed up at him with those hazel eyes, they shone with fear. He ran his hands through her hair, hating that he had to pacify her like this but he could not risk her security. He placed a gentle kiss on her forehead as he swept his thumbs across the soft slopes of her cheekbones.

“Luke Skywalker is my uncle and he is a hunter. He hunts and kills his own kind, he wants all of the bloodlines to die out,” he admitted gravely.

It left a bitter taste in his mouth but he needed to brief her, to enlighten her of how grim the situation was and he hoped that a part of her would understand why he had to keep her away from it all, at least for now.

Rey did not know how to respond, she did not know wolves were hunted, she thought with the new life she had gained power but with it came consequences.

Ben rested his forehead against her own for a moment and leaned back.

“Stay,” he ordered one final time, his eyes shifted into their crimson state as he strengthened the power of his compulsion by drawing and honing every bit of energy he possessed and channelled it into his words.

Rey lowered her head in submission; she would not fight him, not if he thought that this was the best thing for her.

“Be safe, come back to me,” she whispered.

“Always,” Ben promised.

With one final exchange of stares between the two, Ben closed the cabin door behind him and threw himself off the porch as he took off running towards the direction of his parent’s cabin, the smell of smoke heavy in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope this was worth the wait, sorry for the extra week but the words refused to flow last week. 
> 
> Quoting your favourite line or quote is better than extra kudos!
> 
> So...the trunk has revealed its first secret...
> 
> Well...Luke...
> 
> Ben ROMEO Solo 404 was not found near the end of that chapter...he is displaying more of his alpha traits...hello Kylo
> 
> We are VERY close to smut as well...SO SO CLOSE (I can taste it)
> 
> The next chapter is without a doubt going to be so intense and I am dying to write it...so spur me on? I know this is a filler but entertain me
> 
> Please leave your thoughts/theories, I love hearing from you and I hope this long chapter made up for me missing an update last week ;)
> 
> See you soon :)


	12. Fire

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Leia struggle to cope.
> 
> The pack deal with the aftermath of Kaydel's abduction, ending with heated accusations.
> 
> Rey struggles to deal with being kept in the cabin so the pair return to work when an unexpected predicament changes all they knew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay...so the end of this chapter is the scene I have envisioned since day 1 when I thought up Wolves. It is my baby and means so much to me.

_Be safe_

Rey called the words into his mind as he raced from the safety of the cabin.

With Tallie trailing behind him, Ben raced along the terrain and through the thick foliage. He bounded across the earth; his long, muscular legs carried him with ease, propelling him further and further. He lunged over logs and flew across a stream, the distance between him and Tallie rapidly increased as she failed to match or cope with his speed. He was ferocious and untamed, no longer just a man. He was no longer in control, he let Kylo roam free as the threat against his pack and mate loomed over him. Ben sunk inwards, caressed by the darkness whereas Kylo shone through and exerted control. He was purely instinctual, a primal creature.

Kylo was no usurper or some unwelcome entity; he was a powerful part of Ben. He was an alpha and it felt natural to free this side of himself. The inner wolf willingly led the man; the two entrusted halves of one soul rose and worked together to create a perfect balance. Combined, they wrought as one harmonious being.

Therefore, he shed Ben Solo; cast him aside and let Kylo reign supreme and free. It was a necessary counter to the events that had befallen him.

Rushing forward, he darted and weaved through the trees until he reached the cabins surrounding his parent’s cabin. The one closest to his family home was ablaze, burning; a thick plume of onyx black smoke filtered from the windows and doors, polluting the dusky blush of the morning sky.

He stilled for a moment, chest heaving and teeth bared. It was his sister’s cabin, the one she shared with Tallie and Jessika before her own disappearance, stolen in the night right from under them.

Now it sat destroyed, defiled and served as a fiery and stoic reminder of the pack’s failure to protect another of their own. It reflected on him, weighed heavy on his shoulders and it was his burden to carry. He would shoulder it; carry the pain within his crumbling heart.

If he could not protect his own sister, how could he lead the pack one day?

Ben scrubbed his face hard as the stench of burned wood and blood filled his nostrils.

The scene in front of him was accompanied by a somber silence, a telling contrast to the blazing chaos roaring before his eyes. The air was devoid of all sound except the snarling and crackling of splintering wood. It was an almost silent destruction, a wicked symphony.

In front of the crumbling structure kneeled a detached figure.

It was his mother.

He moved forward, passing through a cloud of ash in the air, some wisps stained his skin with shards of charcoal black, a fitting decoration of his soul.

He approached his mother carefully; she was anchored and berthed to the ground, her tiny fists were burrowed into the earth, cementing her place there. She was rooted to the spot with no sign of moving.

He sat down beside her and watched her for a moment; she was devoid of life, the spark in her eyes lost. Covered head to toe in soot, her greying hair was loose and tangled, he had never seen her so unkempt, so numb. He did not need anyone to inform him that she had most likely ran into the flames in search of her only daughter, the girl who had carved such a huge space in her heart.

It was a heartbreaking sight, he bit back a sob and furiously wiped at the tears that spilled over seeing his mother so defeated, an alpha brought to her knees.

Leia was a formidable woman, the spearhead of the pack, her wolf was fondly named, General, due to her leadership tactics but nothing remained of that woman. She was buried in ash and grief, swallowed by the earth and tainted by fire. She was burned in every sense but physical and she would carry the scars of the night until her dying day.

“Mother,” Ben whispered, he excavated her clenched fist from the dirt and wiped away the soil, her nails and fingers were broken, bloodied and ruined. Her knuckles were coloured a deep violet, black and bruised.

Had she broken her way into the cabin? Had she hammered and scratched at the wood as she screamed for Kaydel?

His heart dropped and he let his tears fall without resistance.

It was all too much.

Leia’s eyes took on a new shine, tears forming there as she extracted her gaze from the rumbling fire, the cabin nothing but a hollowed and desolate skeleton. All was gone, nothing remained and there was no shelter for either of their pain.

The woman’s eyes were rimmed red, puffy and bloodshot, a startling contrast to the sickly pallor of her pale, greyish skin stained with a dusting of soot.

Her eyes manifested as unseeing but they focused sharply when they turned upon him and peered straight through his soul.

“Kylo,” she murmured, she nodded knowingly.

There was no mistaking that his mother knew that the wolf inside of him was front and centre whereas hers was lost and nowhere in sight. It was unnerving, the way she saw all despite being lost and with a part of her heart decayed and forgotten, snatched away along with Kaydel.

He nodded, assessing her.

“They took her, they took my daughter, your sister,” she said softly.

Where his mother was at a loss, broken and split to the bone by those words, he was not. A visceral shot of liquid heat embalmed his heart and his anger simmered, boiling the blood in his veins.

“We will get her back, I promise you. Does Luke have anything to do with this?” He growled out, his whole body tensed at the mention of his uncle’s name. It was like swallowing glass for him to say his name aloud.

It was a sore spot for their family. The prodigal son, the other half of Leia’s spirit who had ran after the murder of his mother and turned on his own kind.

He had blamed wolves for her death and he had fallen into a manic pit of a black sea, lost to the riptide. He renounced what he was and broke Leia’s heart.

She had lost not only her mother through death but her father disappeared and Luke’s betrayal was the final nail in the coffin. He had disappeared into the night, leaving a trail of bodies in his wake. He had decimated half of the pack in his fury. Leia had been pregnant with Ben so she used that motherly instinct and her child within her, fuelled on by her heartache and warped it into strength. She worked tirelessly alongside Han to protect the pack and Luke did not attack them again.

Ben had only encountered his uncle a handful of times, despite everything, the twins kept in contact, not reliable by any means. Their contact was sporadic and far and few in between. More than once, he had questioned his mother’s reasonings for still speaking to her brother but Leia would turn stoic and cold. She never revealed her logic so he no longer pressed the topic.

One time they met in a busy diner to discuss Luke passing through the territory, he warned her that other hunters would be accompanying him and that she needed to move the pack into hiding for a while. It was a tense affair.

Five-year-old Ben, fresh from his premature transformation looked up at his uncle with wide eyes and a hopeful heart from the small seat he sat on.

Luke looked to Leia, announced there was too much of their father, Anakin, in the boy, and promptly left.

Ben despised him, loathed his entire existence since that day.

Ben shook the memory from his head and awaited an answer from Leia.

“What if I never see her again?” Leia trailed off sadly, pointedly avoiding the question for the time being.

Ben frowned and squeezed her hand gently, he was careful to avoid the tender spots as the healing worked its magic.

“Do not think that way, you cannot lose hope,” Ben urged her; he was ready to hunt down the ones responsible and unleash his fury.

He would tear out their hearts for the fear and pain they had caused his mother and his pack.

Leia’s vacant eyes trailed back to the cabin, there were few flames remaining, they spit and hissed at the mother and son as they died.

“I don’t think Luke is behind this, abduction is not his style. He would not waste time like that, he might be a murderer, a hunter of our kind but he takes no pleasure or delight in killing and death. He assures their ends are swift and painless.”

Ben reared back and stood up. Pacing, he was a conductor of madness, teetering on a cliff edge as Kylo roared for justice.

“Do not make excuses for that traitor!” he snapped but Leia did not flinch, she offered no reaction.

The glow of fresh embers lit up her face, an amber hue amongst her pale, drawn skin littered in soot. No matter what had happened, it seemed as if the light in her remained, flickering but undoubtedly present.

Finally, Han appeared, looking as haggard as his mother as he rounded the corner. He caught sight of Ben and approached him, his eyes wary and fresh with his own grief. He pulled his son into his arms and Ben held onto his father as if he was a young boy again, they both needed this.

After a moment, Han pulled back and planted his hand on Ben’s shoulder.

“I have evacuated the younger members of the pack. The children and a few of the teens will be staying with Lor San Tekka’s pack for the time being,” Han informed them but Leia made no move or showed no sign that she had even heard him.

Ben agreed with his father’s decision. Lor San Tekka and his sizeable pack were their strongest ally; he was Han’s cousin so the ties ran deep. They were bound by blood so their alliance was unbreakable and rooted in trust. They were located thirty miles north and had no reported disappearances in the area or from their pack so Ben hoped the younglings would be safe there.

More members of the pack followed from behind Han, Tallie was amongst them, Ackbar, Statura, Wexley and Amilyn were all accounted for.

Amilyn, his godmother and his mother’s closest companion, gazed sadly at his mother’s broken form and kneeled beside her, whispering into her ear.

Ben swallowed hard, wanting nothing more than to reassure and care for his mother but there was other pressing matters that needed to be addressed.

“How did this happen? Who was on perimeter patrol? Why was there no warning, no alert?” Ben growled.

He clenched his fists at his side and beat his thighs. It was a tactic to keep him grounded when he wanted nothing more than to explode.

“Kaydel and I were sleeping when they attacked us. I tried to help Ben, I fought them but they hurt Kaydel, they stabbed her in the thigh and told me if I struggled, they would finish her,” Tallie sobbed, she dropped her head into her hands.

She was traumatised and Ben was sick to his stomach.

Ackbar was quick to comfort the young woman; he pulled her into his arms.

Ben sympathised for her but he raged like an inferno. They had stabbed his sister, what if she was dead. What if the same fate was destined for Rey? No, he could not imagine such a thing.

“Whoever did this a professional, there were four of them in total,” Wexley informed him.

His thoughts were muddled but Ben realised he was intimidating the man, one of their finest fighters. It was an odd notion that a man like Wexley was scared of how Ben carried himself as Kylo.

“Who was guarding the pack? Who was on perimeter patrol?” Ben seethed as his confusion and anger melted into one.

“Hux and Phasma,” Statura said, he motioned behind them.

Right on queue, the pair arrived at the scene, they walked from the tree line, and unease was spread thickly across their features.

Ben charged at the pair, taking in their appearances and he advanced like an apex predator.

Phasma donned a bloodied lip and Hux brandished a cresting of a bruise on the lower part of his jaw.

“Why did you not raise the alarm?” Ben asked bluntly, something about the two of them in recent weeks did not sit well with him; he was tense and admittedly wary of them.

Phasma rolled her eyes at him and he curled his lip at her, she was disrespecting him, an alpha and heir of the pack. She noticed his gesture and lowered her head a fraction.

“We were ambushed, both separately attacked and knocked unconscious,” she answered, her cerulean blue eyes pierced Ben’s as he scrutinised her every move, walking closer to the duo.

Ben eyed the injuries once again and came to the realisation that they were superficial. His stomach sank. He knew of Hux and Phasma’s abilities, while Hux was a beta, he had grown with him and he was raised as his brother so the two trained together. Phasma, on the other hand, was an alpha and Ben knew too well, how hard it was to surprise or ambush them. Phasma was nearly as tall as him and a skilled fighter. She was vicious when she wanted to be.

Again, he doubted them. The notion that they were both conveniently put down was nonsensical, a tough pill to swallow and trust in.

“Is that so?” He said, disbelieving their story almost immediately.

Hux cupped his bruised jaw and glared at Ben, his eyes were like ice, a polar opposite to the fire that lay behind Ben’s eyes.

“Yes, maybe if you were not shacked up with the girl you claim is your mate then maybe you would have been here instead and you could have helped. When your pack and our sister needed you the most, you were elsewhere,” Hux spat out and Phasma sighed but nodded, agreeing with his words.

Hux’s words sliced into Ben’s heart, they cut deep just as he intended them to do.

They were not entirely untrue. If he had been there, maybe he would have been able to save Kaydel from being taken or pursue the people responsible.

He walked up to Hux, their noses nearly touching, the brothers were in a standoff.

Ben yanked the collar of the plaid shirt he wore and ripped it aside, revealing his mating mark; the bite Rey had gifted him.

“She is my mate, she reciprocated,” he gritted out as he watched Hux’s eyes widen in response.

“You mated with someone who knows nothing of our ways!”

Ben growled out a warning.

“I will teach her everything. Are you forgetting that her family is one of the first bloodlines? One of the first of our kind?”

“Now is not the time for this,” Han declared, parting the two with a firm shove to each of their chests.

Still glaring at Hux, Ben stood back, hands raised.

“It is suspicious that the two of you were subdued so easy,” he thought aloud and Hux’s face flushed pink.

“What are you insinuating Ben…or is it Kylo now?” Hux roared menacingly, Phasma held him back from advancing any further.

“I am insinuating nothing; I am suspicious of how easily you two were put down. It is weird that their risk of penetrating the perimeter turned out to be successful considering one wrong move from them and you could have raised the alarm.”

Hux shrugged Phasma off him and swung at Ben but Ben caught his fist and squeezed it, pushing it back towards his wrist. He was in disbelief that Hux had tried to punch him but he used that to fuel his strength.

He walked them slowly backwards until Hux’s back hit a tree.

_“Please, calm down,”_ Rey pleaded into his mind.

Startled, Ben let the calming waves of her presence in his mind and relaxed.

“Do not do that again,” Ben warned as he released his wrist.

Hux nursed it to his chest, shaking his head at Ben.

“Whatever is in that thick head of yours, any thoughts of betrayal, forget them. You were not here, you do not know who we are dealing with and that is for you to carry,” Hux said.

Han sighed and looked between the two men he raised, never before had their relationship been so strained.

“Enough of this. We shall meet in the council room, we need to plan ahead for any more attacks and formulate a case of action.”

“Where are Chewie and Lando?” His uncles’ lack of presence had been noted even in his haze.

“They are making a supply run across the border, we need weapons and of course those two decided to volunteer. They should be back in the morning.”

Ben nodded.

“You think other wolves are doing this?”

It was the only reason for a supply run like that, they needed specialised weapons, ones that could incapacitate and kill other wolves.

Han nodded grimly.

“Best to be prepared for anything.”

“I am watching you,” Ben warned Hux and then he turned away from him towards his parents’ cabin, glad that Amilyn had managed to move his mother indoors.

* * *

 

_Be safe_

She hoped he had heard her words but she knew very little of the bond and connection between them. It was almost unbelievable or beyond comprehension that she could communicate her thoughts with him and at such a distance.

As Ben said, mind reading was the skill and power of alphas but this was not mind reading alone, she could feel his emotions, sense his presence as if a cord had tied their hearts and minds together as one.

Stuck in the cabin through his compulsion, she sighed and slid down the door. It was hard to accept, a headstrong woman from birth, she was not used to someone asserting dominance over her and it was a foreign concept. While the independent woman inside of her screamed to follow Ben into whatever danger or chaos awaited him, she knew she could not.

First, there was the compulsion; she had never witnessed such a display of raw power. He had mustered every bit of strength into his command and she was a servant to it. She had fought his compulsion, the alpha command, once before when he tried to make her stay with him after he confessed it was he who had bitten her. She had been livid, heartbroken and distraught; she was derailed and crumbled inwards, collapsing in on herself. She surmised that those weighty feelings had been the source of her resistance, the core of her unyielding strength.

Without those rich and potent feelings feeding her, she doubted she would have succeeded in walking away from him.

Now, as she sat, chewing on the inside of her cheek, she felt safe as he exerted that control over her. Her body had willed her to submit and when she had, it soothed her, her inner wolf called to it and bowed at her alpha, thankful that he would not compromise her safety. Seeing Ben so devoid of his usual light and his transformation into a worried mate, one who was stoic and determined in his pursuits had thrilled her.

She palmed her mating mark and squeezed, recalling how his eyes blazed a deep crimson, the sight of them had been enough to shake her to the core. She was attracted to his power, attracted to the traits that came with him being an alpha, she liked that he handled her safety and thought of her as his sun and it was enough to flood her being with liquid heat.

In some ways, she wanted him to dominant her, she craved his inner wolf, as she did air. The contrast between the soft and caring Ben with the creature inside him was tantalising. Her heart galloped against her ribs and she came to the realisation that the darker, instinctual part of him awoke her needs from the depths of her soul. Her wolf lusted after his alpha side and gladly caved to his teachings and orders; after all, it was her safety and wellbeing that Ben fought to ensure. Knowing that Ben cared about her more than he did himself was celestial, something that would cradle her and keep her insecurities or gnawing anxiety at bay. He would walk through the fires of hell for her if the situation called for it, she knew that and it was enough for her.

She would follow his lead, trust her inner wolf to guide her and work on channelling her instincts. She would also strive to learn more about Ben as an alpha, she wanted to entice him; she would let him consume her whole as he devoured her flesh and spirit.

Her arousal crept up on her as she thought of him and those enchanting eyes; she cleared her throat and stood, fanning herself as she opened a window. Now was not the time for that, not when Ben was troubled and in potential danger.

Tentatively, she reached out with her mind, not knowing exactly what she was doing. She felt him, always, he was a part of her and so she attached herself to that and envisioned a single red cord that connected them. She followed and waited anxiously as his visceral anger flooded her body, it was waning but it was strong enough to make her stumble.

“Please, calm down,” she pleaded into his mind.

While he did not respond verbally, his anger quickly dissipated into nothing and she felt like she could finally breathe again.

She took a moment to contemplate her next move and eyed the trunk that sat in the corner of the room. It brought her back to the night before where she had learned that not only was her grandfather a werewolf and she was the final line of the prestigious and ancient line but her grandfather had actively worked to prohibit her from turning.

The injections had hurt, they were something she had thrown into the dark recesses of her mind, she had suppressed them but they were vivid now. Had they been avoidable? What had sparked his decision to hide her from his old pack? He had torn her chances of knowing Ben or growing up around her own kind from her.

She could never hate him though, deep in her heart she knew that he had his reasoning and she would not stop until she discovered his secrets. The trunk had to contain answers, he could not have left her empty handed.

There was so much to study though; there was dozens upon dozens of books, journals, newspapers and photos. There were more silver boxes but she was unsure if she wanted to open them, they most contained more injections, more Wolfsbane and suppressant concoctions. The way Ben had reacted to the poison had been telling, she should not meddle or handle that stuff, she already knew of its effects, the burning, the convulsions and she did not want to relive such trauma.

She opened the trunk and peered in, the plethora and wealth of information laid out before her was staggering. A photo album caught her attention, it was leather, decorated a vermillion red. She pulled it out and clutched it to her chest as if it would disappear; memories were all she had of her family now.

She settled on the sofa, tucking her legs underneath her and opened the book. Immediately the image of her grandfather as a young boy greeted her, he was standing next to another child. The other kid was smaller, skinnier and shorter. She read the scribble below it; it read ‘Ben Kenobi and Alistair Snoke aged 5’.

Although her newly appointed psychiatrist had confessed his connection to her grandfather, she had never imagined to see him in a family album.

She traced his face, it was unmarked and without scars, a startling difference to how the man looked now. While his skinny frame and gaunt features had followed him into adulthood, the scars were obviously something he experienced later in life; the child was clueless to the horror that awaited him.

She wondered how he had gained such horrific injuries; the scar on his bald head was a deep chasm of scar tissue and rigid flesh. Who or what had dealt such a blow.

Rey spent the rest of the morning sifting through the images, Snoke made less of an appearance over time and soon the photos had found a new focal point, a person of interest. Old Ben had scrawled the name Anakin Skywalker more times than she could count, she watched as the boy with vibrant eyes and tousled hair aged into a handsome young man, he was younger than her grandfather, it was as Old Ben had stepped up to the role of this man’s older brother. Rey perhaps appreciated Anakin’s beauty too much, he was devilish handsome with a coy smile and she guiltily thought of Ben. Then her thoughts simmered and turned into envisioning what Ben would look like when he was jealous. It was weird, if she looked hard enough at Anakin; she swore could see him in Ben’s own features.

She shook her head and reached the final page. The photo was not stuck down and she frowned when she saw that it had been torn in two. She gathered the two halves of the photo and pieced them together, gasping at what confronted her.

It was a copy of one of the photos Snoke had given her. The one where she sat on his lap, tugging at his tie with her grandfather beaming next to them. Someone had torn it diagonally across, severing Rey and Old Ben from Snoke. It was unnerving, unsettling and ominous.

She looked at her younger self; the tear had sliced through her hand that had tugged at Snoke’s tie. Was the destruction a mistake? It seemed so deliberate and too precise for it not to be planned. Swallowing hard, she shoved the pieces back into the album and stood up, deciding to busy herself as she waited for Ben.

She spent the rest of the day cleaning, she scrubbed the cabin until it gleamed, it distracted her and she lost herself. She had cooked too, settling down for a meal of spaghetti, she had made some for Ben and stored it for his return.

As day slithered into night, she grew restless but she did not leave the cabin. It was nearly midnight when she decided that perhaps he would not return for a while so she rolled into bed and spread herself out across the sheets. They smelled like Ben, firewood and pine and with that, she clung to the pillow he had laid his crown of raven tendrils on just hours before. With the image of a photo torn in two and the day’s worrying on her mind, she found sleep.

At some point in the night, Ben’s arms snaked around her middle; he pulled her into him as he inhaled the perfume of her skin.

“You are back,” Rey mumbled, unable to open her eyes, she was exhausted and the heat of his flesh only increased that.

“I told you I would be.”

Ben nuzzled closer to her, cradling her from behind.

“Are you okay?” She whispered.

“Only when I am with you,” He murmured.

She fell asleep soon after with the smell of smoke and Ben’s drumming heart lulling her into nothingness.

* * *

 

A week passed in the same fashion. Every morning Ben would leave her, kissing her with the promise he would return and in the evening, he did.

His pack needed him and she understood that, they were working diligently to track his sister and the other missing woman. She knew this was a trying time for him but with every day that crawled by, she grew restless and irritable. The combination of rarely seeing Ben and being cooped up in the cabin had culminated in Rey snapping. She had felt herself slowly reverting into the vulnerable woman that had emerged after the attack, the one who took no joy in life, the one who lay curled up in bed until the days merged into one. She could not tolerate it anymore.

On the seventh night, she waited up for him, perched on her mother’s rocking chair. In the dark, she stewed and worked her lips with her teeth; her frustration was simmering under her skin like a heat rash that showed no sign of ending. Rationally, she knew that her feelings were valid but she could not help but conclude that her confinement, her imposed incarceration in the cabin had somehow affected her emotional stability.

She knew in some capacity that she was selfish and she loathed herself for it. Next to no fault lay with Ben, he was busy, the abduction of his sister had sent him spiralling and she did not recognise the man who warmed her bed and disappeared in the morning.

She had kept the room cloaked in darkness to support the pretence that she was asleep. It was eerie, as if she was lying in wait for him but she could not contain herself and the loneliness that threatened to break her.

It was well after two in the morning before Ben returned; he opened the door quietly and shuffled in, turning towards the bed. She was not safely tucked in between the sheets where he had left her the morning before, she observed him scanning the room; his eyes registered her in the darkness, his superior sight aiding him.

He turned on the light and Rey blinked, accustoming her eyes to the new light source after sitting so long in the dark.

“Rey?”

His brows raised, his tone was cautious.

Rey rose from the chair, her back ramrod straight and her chin high, she crossed the room with her hands secured on her hips.

“I cannot do this anymore,” She admitted aloud.

Ben frowned and pushed off the door, she could hear his heart rate increase, evidence of his nervousness.

“Do what?” he asked quietly, his face had grown solemn, as if he was bracing himself for the worst, had he thought she was speaking of their relationship? She almost scoffed at the idea.

“I cannot stay cooped up in the cabin any longer. I know you are returning to work tomorrow and I am going with you,” she announced, she squared her shoulders and spoke with an air of confidence; her eyes left no room for discussion.

The only reason she had known of his return to the office was because that morning she had read her neglected work emails.

Visibly deflating, Ben sighed, shook his head, shrugged off his jacket, and then threw it over the arm of the chair.

“No you are not; this is not up for discussion, Rey. We still do not know who took my sister and Jessika and if you think I am risking your safety by allowing you out of the cabin, which may I add, is the safest place for you, then you are wrong,” Ben warned her, as he stepped out of his shoes, walking past her to the bed.

Rey growled, ready to unload and spun, grabbing his wrist.

“I understand you are worried but I need out of this cabin, I am left alone with nothing but my worries for you and it is taking a toll.”

Ben rounded upon her, his eyes softening a fraction. He gazed down at Rey’s hand on his wrist, it was a bold move, she knew that but there was something there behind his eyes, a spark of something.

“I know this is hard for you, but please understand my position. I will not risk you,” Ben pleaded, he moved to touch her but she stood back, releasing his wrist.

Rey threw her hands up into the air and screamed out as she paced.

“You are risking my sanity by keeping me here!” She finally found her words and roared at him.

She shook, her body trembling as her frustration bubbled to the surface, she felt hot and itchy and she was tired, so very tired of it all.

Ben looked to the ground, too ashamed to look at her and the pain he had caused.

“If you do not allow me to go with you tomorrow, I will find employment elsewhere,” she added, breathing hard.

Ben’s head snapped up and he closed the distance between them. He gathered her into his arms; his hands groped her hips with a near bruising hold. A longing took hold of her, it spread from her heart and pooled downwards.

“Do not test me Rey,” he warned her lowly, his eyes darkened as they scanned her face and she was lost to them.

Rey exhaled, the feel of his hands on her had weakened her resolve, she realised she was excited by his actions; they were kindle to the fire between her legs, he was the potent stimulant that awakened the arousal deep within her.

Empowered, she decided to test him and awake the alpha within him.

“I will do what I want, _alpha_. Now, you can either let me return with you to work, a place where you can keep a close eye on me or I will find a new boss to work under.”

Ben’s eyes flashed, his hold on her was unrelenting. He lowered his face downwards and trailed his mouth along the shell of her ear, leaving a trail of hot little breaths there.

“You are a feisty mate, I will give you that, if this is the card you want to play, I will relent.”

Stupefied, she studied him and tried to discern if he was serious. She was aroused and surprised at how the night had turned; she had not expected it to be so easy to convince him.

“Really?” She asked, no longer possessing the boldness she had moments before.

She searched his mind as she had been practicing; her wolf all but ran into his space, greeting her familiar, her mate. Without asking, she knew his name.

“Kylo,” she whispered out in awe.

Ben’s eyes glazed as he appraised her, inclining his head to the side.

“The name of my wolf, my alpha. Say it again,” he all but growled as he picked her up and she wrapped her legs around his thick waist.

She withheld a moan as he ran his tongue along the curve of her jaw, planting kisses in his wake.

“Kylo,” she said, much louder now.

He squeezed the back of her thighs and thrust against her core, she could feel his longing, his hardness even through his jeans. She squeaked and tugged at his hair.

“Now, tell me, do you know the name of the creature within in you?”

His voice was but a rumble, a roll of thunder from between the plains of his chest.

Rey nodded and rolled her hips, trying to grind out a release for herself but Ben did not allow it, he kept her still, wanting and longing for more.

“Kira.”

She thought about her wolf, she was slender but strong and a magnificent white with golden eyes, a graceful being. It seemed befitting of such a wonder.

“Kylo and Kira, I like it,” he murmured into her skin, he swiped his tongue along her collarbone and then promptly placed her back on her feet.

Rey watched him; he had to have known how hot and bothered she was and he left her a mewling mess. Was this his revenge for her ultimatum about work?

Ben grinned down, nodding knowingly as if he read her thoughts. He went about preparing for bed, as he brushed passed her; he swatted her ass, enticing a squeal from her as she blushed, her cheeks a rosy red.

“Come on, sweetheart, it was you who insisted we return to work so we can’t stay up all night,” he said cheerfully, he was taunting her.

She watched him undress, not bothering to hide her ogling, transfixed by his physique and beauty.

She concluded that he liked her watching him as he slowed his actions and looked her straight in the eye as he freed himself of his clothes.

“Rey.”

“Yes,” she answered, she was distracted.

Her thoughts solely revolved around how the muscles in his body worked and moved together as he stripped until he was bare, with only a pair of boxer shorts covering what she really wanted to see. He was hard, shamelessly so and she had still not seen his cock uncovered.

“I hope you know I will be the only boss you work under,” he added seriously.

Rey blushed and squeezed her thighs together. She enjoyed his jealousy; she wanted him to possess her mind, body and soul. She would fall into him willingly until their souls melted into one, each unable to discern where one of them began and the other ended.

“Sure,” she retorted.

This was how he was getting back at her for testing him. She narrowed her eyes as she plopped into the bed. He was going to leave her unsatisfied and aching for his touch.

“I am surprised you were so easy to persuade,” she thought aloud.

Ben settled beside her after turning off the light.

“You brought up a good point, you are safest when you are around me and if we are together it means you will not worry about me. I understand this has been a trying week for you,” he explained, he planted a kiss between her shoulder blades, his hands settling around her mid-section.

“It was but thank you for compromising; I know it must be difficult with your alpha instincts.”

He nodded and kissed her hair.

“I allowed Kylo to control and guide me; I worked with only my instincts and I know it was a hard adjustment. I just want to protect and keep you safe,” he whispered.

Rey was glad to hear his vulnerability; this was Ben she was speaking to, the man she had known for years, the one who had stolen her heart with a smile.

“You are not alone in any of this,” she assured him.

“Neither are you.”

* * *

 

The drive to work was a silent affair, it was comfortable and something they were in need of. A fresh, cooling breeze rolled in from the lowered window. Rey had woken up not feeling well but she had insisted on going to work with Ben. Her headache was blooming, it was ripe and incessant but the frigidness of the breeze and air conditioning wafting around the confined space eased it considerably. She massaged the side of her head with her forefinger, rolling it in languid circles; she closed her eyes and leaned back against the headrest.

Ben’s hand found its way to her inner thigh, he palmed the skin there and his long, nimble fingers squeezed lightly in reassurance. He had been distressed all morning, constantly asking if she was okay. She knew the alpha instincts within him had taken over and he was in nurture mode.

Rey melted into the touch and placed her hand on his.

“Are you sure you are okay? We do not have to go back today,” Ben asked for what seemed like the fiftieth time that morning.

“I am fine. It is just a headache. I think I am due my period as I am aching all over. A cup of tea and time at my desk will sort that out,” she tried to reassure him but she doubted he was convinced.

The familiar ache in her lower abdomen was not a welcome visitor. Rey was unsure of how he would react to hearing about her period so she cracked her eye open and observed him.

He did not seem fazed, his eyes were on the road but when he felt her eyes on him, he inclined his head and his eyes met hers.

“Let me know if there is anything I can do for you.”

Rey chuckled softly and brushed her thumb across his knuckles, tapping them for good measure.

“I may need you to run out of the office and buy me some chocolate or fill up my hot water bottle for me,” she tested, quirking her brow at him.

Ben grinned.

“Anything, but I am sure my hand would serve far better than some hot water bottle.”

He moved his hand upward and pressed it over her lower stomach. He was right of course, he was an alpha and his body temperature was evident of that. He was constantly warm, ready to offer his mate his body heat in any given situation. It was endearing. Ben was a man of passion; she had known this for years. It was as if that raw, fiery passion inside him was so vast that it rolled and seeped into every part of him and begged for release, simmering under his skin until it radiated outwards.

She groaned in response to the contact. She increased the pressure on his hand, pushing him closer to her skin, it felt exquisite. Knowing what she needed, Ben slipped his hand under her blouse and settled below her naval, and he pressed harder and worked his magic. Rey sighed, content as the cramps all but dissipated under his scorching palm.

“I might need to sneak into your office for more of this,” she sighed as he begrudgingly removed his hand away as he reversed into his executive parking spot.

She had been so focused on Ben and his workings that she had not noticed that they had arrived and traversed through the bustling streets of the city, it was a step forward. She was now accustomed to her enhanced and superior senses, the loudness and sights no longer overwhelmed her.

When she had caught a glimpse of her medical file on Dr Snoke’s desk, she had noted a scribble written in almost ineligible scrawl, the doctor had questioned if she fell under a posttraumatic stress disorder diagnosis.

Although nothing was confirmed in regards to a firm diagnosis as she was still awaiting the arrival of her second session, it resonated true to her. The attack had bore far more than physical scars, she carried the event in her mind and it had changed her.

Although the tight, cramped and busy streets of the city contrasted with the wide-open space of the woods, it still unnerved her, she constantly questioned her safety and she knew she was paranoid and still shaken despite her new abilities. She was strong though, she welcomed the title of survivor and she embraced it with pride and held her chin high as she worked to live her life without the crippling fear that would sometimes creep up on her.

Ben opened the door for her and she stepped out, thankful his parking space was shaded. Shouldering her bag, she walked towards the building with Ben by her side, grasping his hand as if he was her anchor.

“I have already informed the human resources department about our relationship, luckily the company has very little rules against employee dating.”

Rey snorted.

“You don’t say? It is not like a certain someone owns said company,” she quipped and poked him in the chest.

They strolled into the building, hand in hand and Rey noticed the stares almost immediately. Rose’s sister, Paige, who worked at reception, gaped at the two, dropping the pastry she was eating and then flashed a grin at her. She gave her two thumbs up and rushed to pick up her phone.

Rey blushed and kept her eyes to the ground until they reached the elevator. Paige was a connoisseur of gossip and she had no doubt she would inform Rose of the sighting. She groaned aloud, leaning into Ben. She knew her friends would hound her for not telling them about Ben but there had not been the time, she had not told them of the attack. Could she tell them she was a wolf?

“Apparently the employees have often speculated about the nature of our relationship,” Ben began.

Rey was stunned, her face crumpled under the bright light of the elevator as it hummed, racing upwards.

“What, how did I not know this?”

“Seemingly it has been a topic of gossip for years,” Ben chuckled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.

“I guess I was not subtle with my ogling of you Mr Solo,” Rey grinned; she would need to confront Paige and ask her why she had never told her. Not that it mattered now.

“They call us Reylo,” Ben whispered, feigning surprise.

“Why?”

“It is a mixture of Rey and Solo,” Ben explained, shrugging.

“Oh,” was all Rey could reply.

The thought of her name so close to his last name did things to her; she imagined Ben on his knees as he offered her a ring and asked her to be his forever. In her mind, they were already so much more than that; their mating meant they were bonded for the rest of their lives.

“I like the sound of Rey Solo,” Ben said serenely as he slowly looked toward her, gauging her reaction.

Rey coughed, choking and turned towards him, a brilliant, rosy blush blossomed in her cheeks. She settled down and found herself.

“I do too.”

The proclamation hung heavy in the air between them. It was magnetic and breathtaking. Transfixed, they gazed at each other intently.

The elevator reached the top floor, a ping signalled their arrival at their destination. It broke the spell.

The top floor was devoid of any other offices but their own and Hux’s vacant one at the opposite end of the hall beside the restroom. Rey’s office sat opposite Ben’s larger and homely office, which suited her well. It gave her the freedom and privacy of her own space and over the years, it served her well. For when both of their doors were open, they were in each other’s sights and she had taken to watching him, observing his habits like the way he perched his glasses too low on his nose until they would almost fall off or how he would speak to himself as he read reports.

“What are your plans for today?” Rey asked as the stood in the hallway separating their rooms.

“Are you not supposed to be the one telling me that, you are my personal assistant,” Ben quirked, leaning against the doorframe.

Rey shot him a look.

“I actually need to attend a meeting in the conference room with some of our equipment manufacturers and suppliers, I need to head down there now,” Ben informed her seriously.

Rey smiled, although meetings were the lacklustre part of her job, she was ready to get back into the swing of things. She moved to gather one of her notebooks and pens from her untouched desk, ready for a couple hours of note taking where indivertibly, Ben would need to nudge her awake.

“Rey, stop,” Ben called softly as his hand encircled her wrist.

Confused, she faced him and scrutinised his features.

He was nervous. His Adam’s apple bobbled as he swallowed and his left eye twitched, she read and knew him well.

“What is it?” She sighed.

“You are not going to the meeting; I want you to stay up here.”

She laughed at him; this was a joke, surely. When he did not smile, she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes at him.

“Well that is ridiculous, I am your personal assistant and I attend all your meetings as it is my job, Ben.”

Ben scratched the back of his neck and stood straighter, finally meeting her gaze.

“Most of the suppliers are alphas, Rey. I do not want you around them, especially with-”

“Especially with what, Ben? You are my mate, I wear your claim on my arm, I bear your scent on my skin and they will know I am yours.”

She thrust her arm at him and yanked her sleeve upwards so her bite was on display.

“No, especially because of your scent, it is so poignant right now; it must have something to do with your upcoming menstruation cycle. You are also ill so I will not expose you to them. Some alphas do not care if someone is mated or not, they could pursue you.”

“My scent is strong to you because you are my mate, this is ridiculous.”

Ben gripped his fists at side,

“Rey, I do not expect you to understand but the idea of bringing my sick and wonderfully smelling mate around other alphas so soon after our mating, is too much to bear for me. I am scared I would not be able to control myself if one of them even looked at you too long and if I heard anything in their thoughts…it is too much. Our mating is so fresh and my instincts are raw, they scream for me to possess you, to protect you and I am sorry, it is a part of me,” Ben finished, his face was morose.

Rey tried to understand what he was feeling and she appreciated his honesty. Alphas were born with certain traits; they were possessive, overprotective and passion driven. They nurtured their mates almost obsessively. She knew Ben could not shed what was built inside of him, it was in his genetics. It was hard to accept, she was still unused to this side of him despite her body and mind screaming that he was doing the right thing by her.

She placed her palms on his chest, smoothed his dress shirt and sighed. While Ben’s traits were a hardship for him, her own urged for her to calm him and reassure her alpha that he was taking care of her.

“You look after me so well. I hope you know I am not ecstatic about sitting out and we need to work on introducing me to situations like these, we need to expose both of us so we can learn how to deal with our mating status in a healthy way,” she crooned.

Ben cupped her face, he seemed to appreciate her tone and he seemed visibly calmed by her, his shoulders dropped, no longer tense.

“Of course, sweetheart. However, this is who I am and this is all I know. It will take me some time, please, bear with me.”

“Of course, I will always stand by you. I love you. Now, you had better get to that meeting. I plan on procrastinating and drinking tea, I need to earn my pay,” Rey tried to smile and make light of the situation.

He bent to kiss her forehead, something she had noted he was fond of doing.

“I love you. Thank you. Please, take it easy and message me if you feel any worse and we will go back to the cabin.”

Rey nodded and they parted ways, she walked into the office space and closed the door behind her. Her headache had all but disappeared, only a shred of it remained but the aches in her body had only worsened. She was admittedly weak and did not want to worry Ben; he had enough to worry about. There was still no word or sign of Kaydel or Jessika and it was weighing heavy on him.

She crossed the room and opened the window as wide as it could go and she hoped for a reprieve from the stifling heat. Her palms were slick with sweat and the ache in her abdomen had seeped upwards and downwards. Fanning herself, she prepared herself a cup of tea from the small kitchenette in the corner of her office.

She wrapped her arms around herself as she watched the kettle slowly boil and shake; it was similar to how she viewed her body at that moment. She was ready to claw out of her skin and release herself from the aches and liquid heat that engulfed her being.

She plopped onto her office chair and sipped her tea but it did nothing to balm whatever irked her. She attempted to boot up her computer and reply to a plethora of emails she had missed over the time she was off but it proved fruitless, her concentration was waning, it was as if her energy was slowly seeping out of her, siphoned from a foreign source.

A cramp riddled through her body and she doubled over, resting her head on the desk. Her damp hair, wet with sweat, hung limply over her face as she wrapped her arms securely around her middle.

She wondered if she was turning again, if this was some kind of wolf thing. It certainly felt like it but at the same time, it was entirely different. The aches were not all painful; they did not reduce her to nothing and make her beg for death. They were deep, all encompassing and ate her alive. They flayed her, burned her from the inside out but they felt right, natural, as if her body was needy of something and she wanted to deliver whatever was needed to soothe the flames.

If only she knew what consumed her, what what reduce the aches, cramps and throbbing between her legs. Her breasts felt heavy and sensitive. Her blouse chafed against her skin and she wanted to free herself of all clothing, to leave her skin bare to the elements and embrace the breeze from the open window.

Instead, she tightened her grip around her middle and chewed her lip, she thought about messaging Ben but she could barely bring herself to move, she felt heavy and light at the same time, she felt rooted in place but she also feared that with one slight movement, she would float away into nothing.

She waited for another hour, alternating between sobbing and moaning out over the sensations that convulsed through her body. Her breathing was laboured, her skin soaked and wet with sweat. Nothing could touch this fever; nothing could dampen or cool her.

She was reduced to a mewling mess.

The ping of the elevator woke her from her hazy stupor, it was the sign of Ben’s return and he could help her, surely. He would know what was happening to her.

She willed herself to move.

She wobbled to her feet; perspiration coated her skin, slickness spilled down her thighs. Standing was a difficult feat, she swayed, dizzy and feverish as she listened to Ben as he walked down the hallway, the heels of his shoes clicked against the marble flooring but she did not trust herself to move.

A few moments passed as she planted her palms on her desk, spread her fingers wide and readied herself. She listened to him open the door of his office.

Shaking, she breathed through her nose as the heat between her legs increased, the throbbing was bordering on painful. Eyes brimming with tears, the tension too much, she dipped a hand in-between her legs, she groped her mound, parting her folds and grazed her thumb against her clit. Although she was a virgin, she was no stranger to the pleasure and feel of her own touch. She slipped two fingers inside of herself and buried them until she was knuckle deep, she was soaked and they slid in without resistance. It did very little to satisfy the ache though, the feeling of emptiness from deep within that rooted right down to her bones was stifling and hungry. She whined and added a third finger but it did not meet her needs. She cried out, whining as she pumped her tiny fingers inside of herself, more wetness accumulated at her entrance and coated her palm; the sound of it all was lewd and obscene.

The sound of wood splintering and an almighty bang filled her workspace; she jumped away from the desk, staggering to near the window as the door to her office collided with the nearby wall, ripped off its hinges. It crashed to the ground as she tore her hand from her underwear and gaped at Ben in the doorway, the cause of the destruction, the bringer of chaos.

Ben’s eyes were blown, his pupils dilated and stark in a sea of crimson, they glowed with a wild intensity, fiery and impassioned. He appeared primitive and untamed; his hands gripped the doorframe, his muscles straining with the pressure exerted. Short, ragged breaths escaped his gaping mouth, he was panting and a sheer layer of perspiration coated his brow. His body was coiled and ready, for what, Rey did not know but she wanted him, she wanted all of him.

She pushed off the wall; a gush of wetness soaked her panties with the small movement. She felt her own eyes shift, her vision taking on a new clarity and sharpness as they transitioned and expelled a golden hue. It was a direct response to Ben’s glowing crimson orbs. She followed her alpha’s lead.

Chest heaving, Rey took a step towards him, she was on fire, she gushed at the sight of him and more slick rolled down her thighs, Ben’s head snapped downwards, his eyes zeroing in to the source of where she was wet, hot and needy. He watched the wetness as it travelled downwards, baptising her bare legs until it dripped to the floor between her parted feet. Looking upwards once again, he gazed at Rey’s soaked hand, wet with her juices. She watched in delight as his tongue swiped over his lip, wetting the plush flesh.

His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he inhaled deeply, a low growl grumbled from his throat, fuelling the reactive heat of Rey’s body.

“ _Omega_ ,” Ben choked out lowly. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *loses my shit with all of you*
> 
> REY HAS PRESENTED AS AN OMEGA
> 
> THIS IS NOT A DRILL
> 
> OMEGA STATUS CONFIRMED
> 
> SHE IS IN HEAT
> 
> DARE I SAY SMUT IN THE NEXT CHAPTER...?


	13. Heat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben and Rey allow their heat and rut to consume them

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut writing virgin no longer

 “Omega,” Ben choked out lowly.

The word resonated true to Rey.

She could not question the validity of his statement; she was an omega and presenting for the first time. She knew not of the reasoning or how it was possible but as soon as Ben had spoken the heavy word, there was no denying it.

She was in heat.

“Alpha,” she breathed out, it was as if she was breathing for the first time.

Ben was a mirage in the desert, a water source to replenish her and to diffuse the heat in her bones.

Ben’s hold on the doorframe tightened and it splintered below his unrelenting grip and hulking palms. His eyes, blazing crimson zeroed in on her golden orbs as he tilted his neck to the side and bared his teeth at her.

“You’ve triggered my rut, little omega,” he gritted out.

Ben’s nostrils flared as he pushed off the doorframe and slowly stalked toward her. He worked his jaw, clenching it until it was taut and steely.

Rey could not move and she stood frozen to the spot despite the stake she was tied to, her body aflame before his eyes.

“Please,” she whined, it was all too much, the sensations and flood of overwhelming feelings.

“Rey, if you do not want us to do this now, if you are not ready, you need to tell me. I do not think I can control myself much longer,” he confessed, eyeing her carefully.

“I want this,” Rey said, sure and true.

“I am going to take good care of you,” he crooned; it soothed her despite the manic look in his eyes and the feral expression that graced his sharp features.

When he finally closed the distance between them, she cried and clutched fistfuls of his shirt in her clammy grip and this only spurred him on. He growled out.

“I am going to scent you, it will help you until I get you to my apartment.”

“Please,” Rey begged, borderline delirious and fully incoherent as she clung to him.

Ben removed her hands from his shirt and pressed himself flush against her form; his erection nudged her stomach as he cupped her face, humming before he swept his tongue over her scenting gland with consummate skill.

Instantly she melted into him, her head falling back as he flattened his hot tongue against the flesh there and suckled the gland, taking his fill. It was an introduction of the delights to come and she was a believer, he would take her to the edge and fall with her, careening in a ride of ecstasy.

The relief was delightful, somehow him scenting her ebbed some of the aches within her but it awoke a new hunger, a new need for him. Ascending, he ravished her more, kissing the slender column of her throat. He rubbed his nose against her as he inhaled, groaning into the shell of her ear. After one final sweep of her gland, he nipped it and Rey jolted, crying out but Ben cupped her ass and snapped his hips against hers, stilling her.

“Do not fret, omega, have no doubt that I will bite and claim you there too when I fuck you,” he chuckled lowly.

He placed his hand on her throat, wrapping his fingers around it and squeezed softly.

Rey nodded frantically.

“Ben, I am a virgin but I want this, I want you. I am on birth control for my periods so we can do this if you will have me,” she confessed, closing her eyes. Never before had she been ashamed of her virginal status but now, it daunted her.

Ben’s hold on her neck slackened and he hauled in a breath, tensing.

Insecurity flooded her, would he not want her if he knew how inexperienced she was?

She opened her eyes and gazed at him, a broad smile filled his face.

“How is that possible? How have I been blessed with such a gift,” his husky voice whispered, want and need heavy in his tone.

Rey relaxed, feeling much lighter than she had ever been.

“I had no interest in giving myself to anyone but you, alpha,” her eyes flickered to his.

“You are mine, only mine. No one gets to touch you as I do. Do you understand?” He seethed.

She trembled, squeezing her damp, quivery thighs together to dull the ache.

She nodded.

“Use your words, Rey,” he demanded, as he rained kisses across her exposed and silky shoulder.

She obeyed her alpha.

“I am yours,” she gasped out.

Ben looked at her hard for a moment and then dropped his head.

“I have never done this before either, I was saving myself for my mate. I will please you, Rey, we are instinctual beings, let go and let them guide you,” he murmured.

It was Rey’s turn to experience shock. How could that be true? Ben was a virgin; the handsome and hulking alpha was like her, untouched and pure.

It flourished well within her, they would only know the touch of each other and no other woman could lay claim to him.

“We will learn together,” she said boldly.

Ben’s eyes flashed to hers. His hand caught her wrist and he moved her wet fingers, soaked with her arousal into his mouth. Rey shivered, as his tongue lapped at her essence.

It was the filthiest and most erotic thing she had ever seen. He sucked every digit clean.

“Fuck, Rey, you were made for me. You taste sublime.”

He surprised her by dropping her hand and claiming her lips with his own, she could taste herself upon him and like a starving man at feast, he consumed her, carding his fingers through her hair.

“We need to get you out of here; my apartment is not too far. Omegas are prized, sought after and I need to protect you. Since we are mated, your scent will be dulled and my scenting will have dampened it further but the longer you go unsatisfied, the stronger it will become. Do you understand?” His eyes searched hers; he placed his hand in hers.

“Please Ben, I need you, I do not know if I can wait much longer,” she moaned, she was dizzy with arousal, unsure of how much longer she could cope without being filled.

Ben almost snarled, his body jerking forward.

“I will have you, my omega but first we need to deal with your eyes. Can you shift them? We cannot risk being seen,” he swept his thumb across the sharp curve of her cheekbone.

Rey was unsure; she closed her eyes, shaking with exertion as she envisioned the hazel irises that had brightened her face for her entire life.

When she opened them, Ben’s crimson eyes had reverted into his normal shade, dark like wet soil after a downpour.

“Well done,” he praised her and then he steered her towards the elevator.

The tight, confined space threatened to break Rey.

They kept themselves pressed flat against opposite sides of the elevator so they could control themselves. Ben’s state was deteriorating, quite like hers. He was flushed, brow coated heavy in sweat and he kept palming his cock, readjusting it in his trousers.

Rey ogled him without restraint, admiring the way his hands groped himself.

“You like this, don’t you, omega?” Palming his erection once more through his trousers.

Rey blinked.

“Yes.”

“I am going to fill you up,” he both promised and warned her as the doors opened and a rush of heat flooded her panties again.

Ben tensed, inhaling sharply for a moment, clearly smelling her.

“We need to leave, now,” he yanked Rey’s wrist and pulled her from the elevator.

He walked much faster than her, his own steps brisker and easy with his long legs.

Rey yelped as she tried to keep up but the combination of her aches, slippery thighs and dizziness meant it was next to impossible. Ben gazed around the ground floor; it was devoid of all employees except Paige Tico who was otherwise occupied by something on her phone.

Moving quickly, he turned, encircled Rey’s waist and threw her over his shoulder. She muffled a squeal into his back as he began to run towards the front door. Behind them, Rey noticed Paige look up and for a moment, the two friends froze until Rey offered her a reassuring thumb up and Paige’s eyes bugged out of her head.

Rey hung useless over his shoulder as he ran, painfully aware of how close her lower half was to his face. In seconds, they made it to the car and Ben carefully deposited her in the front seat. He rounded the vehicle, jumped in and revved the engine, the tires squealing as he reversed into traffic.

“Ben, are you sure you should be driving like this?” Rey asked, she squirmed in the seat, her breathing was laboured.

Ben gripped the steering wheel tighter, his knuckles stark white against black leather.

“I am. Can you open the windows?”

Rey understood his reasoning. In the stuffy, closed in space, their scents were crushing and overcoming. They enticed her, his scent was heady, inebriating and she lost herself to its pull.

Ignoring his suggestion, she instead inched her hand towards his leg. Her fingers brushed against the plush fabric of the seat before settling on his thigh.

Ben hissed as her nimble fingers rubbed over his hardness.

“Rey,” he warned, side eyeing her.

Emboldened and fevered, she trailed the length of it, admiring how it twitched below her.

“Open the windows, now,” Ben grunted, he swivelled his hips, thrusting shallowly into her hand.

Rey used her other hand to press the window mechanism and then lowered the windows.

The gust of fresh air, cold and refreshing did simmer the effect of their scents but it only dampened it some extent.

Unable to help herself, she parted her legs, thankful for the skirt she donned and slid her hands up towards her heated centre. The flesh there was soaked, hot and in dire need of attention.

“Keep that hand out of your panties, little one,” Ben interrupted her.

Chest heaving, mouth agape and panting, Rey swivelled and clutched both of her hands to her chest. Her breasts ached.

“Alpha, please. I cannot hold on any longer,” she mewled.

Ben chanced a sideways glance and appraised her for a moment, his features contouring in concern.

“You have to hold on, we are not far now,” he ordered and then shifted gears, hit the gas pedal and swerved to overtake a car.

The Mercedes hummed as it came to life and roared past an assemblage of vehicles.

Rey sat back, eyes clenched tight as she gripped the seat, holding on for dear life.

The shrill sounds of a police siren filled the space and Rey groaned, remembering her own recent run in with them. The red and blues flashed in warning.

“Fuck,” Ben snapped out, hitting the steering wheel as he observed his rear-view mirror.

“We have to stop,” Rey panted despite her fear, her need.

“I know, I will handle it, sweetheart,” Ben assured her, slowing as he parked up.

There was a tense silence as a man stalked towards the car and knocked on the window.

“Licence and registration,” he droned, eyeing Ben and then Rey.

Ben lowered the window a small crack and passed the documentation to him; the cop eyed them and returned them. He leaned in.

“You were speeding an-”

Rey could see the precise moment that the man realised their predicament, the exact second that he caught wind of her scent.

The bulky cop inhaled.

“Is she an omega? In heat?” His eyes were blown.

He was an alpha. Despite Ben’s claim on her, despite Ben’s scent on her, this man wanted her and she folded in on herself, moving as far away as she could.

“My mate is in heat, I need to get home,” Ben bit out, closing the window.

The cop reared back, his hands tried the door.

“A compromise, one go of the omega and you can go,” he propositioned.

Feeling sick, Rey shook her head and lurched forward to keep Ben from opening his door. He was ready to defend her, fight for her.

Ben was ready to pummel the man, his murderous thoughts a mess of blood and fury so she worked to anchor him, moving quickly to restrain him.

She tugged him back, wrapping her arms around his front.

He was fighting her but her touch calmed him, omegas, despite their rareness were known for the calm and power they possessed and now she felt it, thrumming lively in her veins.

“He is not worth it,” she whispered into his ear, smoothing his hair.

Ben was shaking, still resolute in his need to defend her honour and to decimate the alpha for challenging him, for degrading her.

Then, with a steely determination and remembering her last encounter with a cop, she lowered her voice and shifted her eyes. She leaned across Ben’s body as she entranced the alpha cop.

“You will leave us now and forget you ever saw us,” Rey said, her voice magic, a siren’s call.

The cop’s eyes glazed.

“I will leave now and forget I ever saw you,” he said, his voice devoid of all life and emotion.

He walked away, settled in his car and drove off.

Ben sat dumbfounded as Rey removed herself from him and sat back in her seat.

Eventually, he started the car and they were off.

“What was that?” He asked, looking straight ahead.

Rey shrugged.

“I don’t know. I have done it once before. Is it an alpha command?”

Ben shook his head.

“Alphas can resist other alpha commands if they are powerful enough. What you did was something else. You had him entranced with ease.”

“Omega command,” she joked but in reality, she was eager to know the extent of her gifts.

“Maybe. I think we need to research this further. Maybe the sacred texts or the books your grandfather left you will enlighten us.”

Rey nodded in agreement.

Soon, they pulled into the garage of his apartment building. Without a word, Ben stopped the car and ran, pulling Rey out of her seat and throwing her over his shoulder once again.

“Ben,” she squealed.

She was not going to complain, he was faster than she was.

The penthouse possessed its own elevator and soon they ascended, Ben’s grip on Rey tightening with every floor they passed.

Both sighed in relief as they reached the top floor, both their bodies had reached a fever pitch that would not rest much longer.

Ben rushed down the hallway, Rey bobbing on his thick shoulder, her limbs limp.

He stood, searching his pockets for his keys and found them, only for them to slip through his sweaty fingers; they dropped to the floor with a metallic clunk.

Groaning he sighed as Rey patted impatiently at his back, she was frantic and calling to him without words.

“Fuck it!”

Securing his hold around her knees, he took a step back, raised his long leg, and kicked the door with one fierce blow. It creaked and flew inwards allowing them entrance.

“Ben!” Rey admonished but he had already set her down on her feet, picked up the door, and shoved it back in place.

“Got to keep her safe,” he muttered as he dragged the sofa in front of the less than secure door for extra precaution.

Rey looked on, suddenly enamoured by his show of protectiveness and she admired the display of his strength. The man was half gone in his ramblings, possessed by the creature inside and both ensnared her.

“Protect her,” he mumbled as he moved the coffee table next to the sofa.

She assumed that he was barricading them from the world so they could weather the storm of their combined heat and rut without interference. It was all so instinctual, he was keeping her from harm, a nesting of sorts and it piqued her curiosity. The man was almost unhinged but it titillated her, stimulated her in a passionate way, she was lascivious and half-delirious in her need of him.

Once he had affirmed his stronghold would stand and keep all would be intruders out, he swivelled, his shirt clung to his perspiring torso, his face and arms flushed coral with his rut.

The two mates shared a knowing and impassioned glance.

They moved.

It was a collision of stars; the sun finally met the moon, distant lovers united at last.

Ben groped her hips and hoisted her upwards, she responded in harmony and secured her slender legs around his waist as he walked them to the bedroom, he did so blind as Rey tugged at his hair and crushed her lips to his. It was all teeth, desperate and sloppy.

Their combined gasps and groans were more bestial than human; their voracious appetites for one another knew no bounds.

When they eventually reached the bedroom, Ben’s hold on her faltered and he grinned at her mischievously before throwing her unceremoniously onto the bed.

Surprised by the abrupt and uncharacteristic action, she landed awkwardly, splayed out before him. It was just how he wanted her. The skirt that barely hit her knees, bunched up her thighs, revealing what was hidden beneath to him, the heat from her core radiated outwards without much cover.

The scent of her arousal lingered freely now, only the flimsy, wet cotton of her panties covered and contained it.

Ben dragged in a breath, his eyes dilated further, taking on the crimson sheen she lusted after. They darkened him and alluded to him possessing a dangerous aura, one in which she was willing to entertain, no matter the heat.

Ben was much more than just a man, he was a beast, an alpha and he was hungry for what only she could offer.

The idea shot straight to her cunt, more wetness pooled there but she was a prisoner to the ideals of her mind and body, a servant to what was to come. She would gladly fall to the throes of passion and let her instincts rule in her place.

For a fervid moment, their eyes locked as he tugged at the belt around his hips. Rey’s mouth grew dry as he unbuckled the chunky, polished buckle. It clinked and she gasped, eager to see what lay beneath.

Ben had seen her in her entirety, as bare as the day she breathed new life into the world but she had yet to see what would undo her. She had felt his incredible length against her in the lake but nothing would compare to seeing it.

In one quick, sharp movement, he slid it from the confines and snapped it together, leather pelting leather. The sound caused a shiver, her nipples peaking and it made her jump but Ben did not grin, he was devoid of any light.

He began to unbutton his dress shirt with a practiced finesse, his nimble fingers made quick work of the task and still he stared, rooting in her place as his most avid spectator.

She surmised he liked her watching him so she would gift him her complete attention, despite the incessant need of her own heat.

Ben was in rut.

The uncontrollable rotation and gentle thrusts of his lean hips were evidence of that. She knew all too well how his need would possess him and she would act as an eager and most accommodating solution to his problem.

With a quick shrug of his shoulders, his shirt fell to the floor. Despite having seen him topless before, him uncovered was still a marvel that could rival the wonders of the world.

His shoulders were broad, impossibly broad and rigged deep with thick muscle. His chest was impressive, a wide expanse of toned flesh which enticed her to look lower, to feast her eyes upon his taut stomach. She counted six prominent abs and she reminded herself to give them attention when she was sated.

A nestling of dark hair trailed from the underside of his belly button and into his trousers.

“Do you like what you see?” He asked gruffly, undoing the top button of his trousers.

She could only nod, her voice lost and mind incoherent, she was solely transfixed on admiring the man who stood before her.

“Of course you do,” he started; the sound of him rolling his zip down only fuelled the tension, the tug between the two.

Yet, Rey could not look away.

She realised now, that she was just as hungry as he was; her heat had claimed her and any feelings of insecurity about either of their inexperience had dissipated.

He bent at the waist and pushed his trousers down his meaty thighs, a place where she would throne herself and proclaim him as her most loyal servant.

Stepping out of the fabric, he kicked himself free, his body shiny with a thin layer of perspiration. He was magnificent.

Rey could not help but advance at the sight of his cock as it tented those deliciously tight boxer shorts.

Like a woman frenzied, she positioned herself on her knees and crawled forward, her needy, little hands grasping for the waistband of the offending clothing article.

She needed to see him and she needed to taste him. She needed to please her alpha.

She hooked her thumbs there and lowered it a fraction before Ben caught her wrists.

She whimpered.

“Impatient,” he observed.

She sat back on the balls of her feet.

“If you are going to touch my cock, you will do so bare,” he told her.

She was all too eager to oblige and fulfil his request.

She worked to open her own shirt like Ben had only moments before but her fingers were slick with sweat and her movements sloppy in her haste.

“Let me.”

Ben’s hands replaced her own and he tugged hard, shredding her shirt with little effort. Rey gasped but moved to accommodate him as he lay her flat on her back and pulled her free of her skirt.

She was entirely exposed given the state of her panties. Her fingers made quick work of removing her bra.

Ben swiped his tongue over his bottom lip and then snatched her towards him by her ankles, sweeping her across the bed.

“I love your tits,” he groaned, positioning himself above her.

As soon as his tongue made contact with her hardened nipple, Rey cried out, thankful for some relief. Her back arched upwards, Ben palmed the small of her back as he lavished the rosy bud with attention. More than once, he nipped at it, only fuelling the fire within her.

She was coiled tight and only he could offer release, a reprieve.

He flattened his tongue for a moment before swirling it once more before moving on to her other breast, capturing it between his plump lips.

“More, please, Ben, I need more,” Rey whined, thrusting her hips upwards against his.

“I know you need me to fill you up, don’t you?” his hot breath trailed over her chest once more before he released it with a wet pop.

“I do,” she cried out at the sudden loss of contact but Ben was not finished with her yet.

With a wicked grin plastered on his face, he stood and tugged her panties, snaking them down her legs.

He dropped them to the floor and surveyed her, her legs spread, revealing her most intimate of parts.

Any other time Rey would have felt self-conscious, wary of baring herself in such a fashion but Ben was memorised and gazing at her as if she was his lucky prey.

He dropped to his knees on the bed and held her ankle once more, placing a gentle kiss there before he made his most wondrous ascent.

He nosed his way upwards, splaying her legs with his palms on either one of her thighs.

Rey was incoherent, needy and mewling under his touch. His face moved up until he rested it on her naval.

“Ben I need you, I need your cock.”

Ben’s features darkened as he tentatively pressed a thick finger against her, teasing her folds.

“Do it.”

He sunk his digit into her and Rey keened, clamping down hard on it.

“Jesus fucking Christ, Rey. Your soaked, you took that so well,” Ben praised, slowly withdrawing his finger as he added another.

It was not enough, it was not enough.

She fisted the sheets, her heart racing and her cunt needy.

Rocking herself into his palm, he fastened his movements, curling his thick fingers upwards.

She squealed.

That was the spot.

Ben hovered above her, suckling against the mating gland in her neck as he continued his workings, the pad of his thumb brushed against her engorged clit and she was flying, frantic for more.

“I need your cock, please. I am ready. Alpha, fuck me.”

Ben growled against her skin, fucking her senseless with his fingers. Surely, he could tell of her ache, of how she swallowed his fingers with ease and how she needed more, much more of him.

She was a virgin but her omega genes and hormones served her well. She was wet, much wetter than she had ever been in her life and she was empty.

“Okay,” he said quietly.

She opened her eyes as his fingers slipped out from inside her. Her walls clamped down on nothing, mournful of his absence.

She wondered if he was nervous, she still could not believe a man like him was a virgin.

He stood up and discarded his boxers.

His cock sprang free, it was much larger than she had ever expected. For a moment, all she could do was stare at it, entranced by its movements, it called to her. She sat up with grace and crawled towards it again. Its head was purple and weeping, his girth was impressive and his length much larger than average. A tuft of well-maintained hair, raven in colour decorated his mon pubis and she loved how it contrasted with the paleness of him there.

She pondered whether he could fit his cock in her, whether it would tear her apart and ravage her insides but she wanted that.

Ben’s face hardened as her tiny hands circled the hard length of it. She tugged experimentally and he hissed, grasping her shoulder for support.

The look in his eyes told her to go on.

Emboldened, she circled his cockhead, shiny and wet with his precum and inched her tongue towards it.

She lapped up what he had to offer, he tasted of the ocean, salty but underneath it all was Ben’s pine and firewood, it was the combination of the elements and it drove her onwards. She sucked the head clean. Then she trailed the length of him with her tongue, smoothing it flat against a vein that pulsed there.

“Rey, I need-”

He did not have to say it.

Now was not the time for foreplay. Their bodies were coiled, ready and in need of something more. While she wanted to taste him some more and test how much of him she could take between her lips, she knew it would wait for another time and when that time came, she would lavish him with her attentions.

Shuffling backwards, she caressed his length and pulled him downwards towards her.

He followed; willingly lead by an omega and her unrelenting hold on his cock.

She landed once more on her back; Ben’s arms bracketed either side of her head. She was caged below him, his long cock jutting against her naval.

In that moment, her heat and his rut was forgotten and all that was left was Rey and Ben. For years, they had longed for one another, each virginal but true in their intentions and affections for the other.

“I love you, I do not know if I will be able to control myself,” he groaned. His rut was spiking.

Rey smiled up at him, caressing his jaw.

“I love you too. Lose yourself, fuck me,” she taunted and that was all he needed.

His eyes darkened as he grasped her knees and eased them apart. He gazed at her as he poised at her entrance. Fisting his cock, he ran it along her pink, glistening folds, soaking himself in her slick.

Then he positioned himself accordingly and with a bated breath, he slid home, her tight cunt embraced him, welcomed him with ease into its tight, wet space.

Rey breathed harshly through her nose as he nudged himself into her, it did not hurt as she expected it to. She was built to take his cock, an omega most accommodating of her alpha. There was pressure and a feeling of fullness that she never thought she could achieve or experience.

She was a woman.

She was a claimed omega in every sense.

She ushered him onwards until his entire cock sheathed itself in her, he groaned, his hard thighs crowned her hips and she gulped, skewered and sated.

She moved, clamping her knees around his naked hips and dug the balls of her feet into his firm ass. It was all the encouragement he needed.

This was heaven, this was bliss.

He filled her and then filled her some more.

Ben stilled, eyeing her carefully.

“Are you in any pain?”

No, she shook her head, no.

“Do not hold back,” Rey begged as she curled her arms under his and clawed at his skin, ribbons of sweet crimson decorated his shoulders.

Spurred on by her words, the alpha within him woke and he began to move, swivelling his hips in earnest, his rotations and forward movements hard, fast.

Relying solely on instincts and their mindful connection, Rey became undone, raising her hips to meet his, although it was difficult to keep up with his relentless pace.

It took them some time to find their rhythm but once it clicked, it clicked and the lovers danced as if they had known and had acquainted their bodies for years.

Feeling Ben’s cock plunge inside her was unlike anything she had ever experienced, the feeling of fullness spread from inside her until her heart was bursting and overflowing with the want, racing alongside her passion.

Ben loomed over her; she sunk her fingernails into his bicep, marking him once more. He swivelled his hips, tantalising in his movements. He worked her.

Handsome, hypnotic and powerful, she knew there was no feeling more wonderful than this, joined completely with Ben, her alpha, mate and lover.

“You’re taking my cock so well,” he crooned and Rey flourished, eagerly absorbing his praise.

She closed the distance between them and her greedy mouth took bold possession of his. She nipped at his lower lip, pulling it with her teeth until she drew blood.

Ben’s thrusting faltered as he grunted against her.

“I need to bite you again, I need to bite you here,” he whispered, urgently as his thumb traced her scent gland in her neck.

The contact was enough to send her over the edge. Her orgasm was building.

“Do it.”

Ben did not hesitate; he snapped his hips against her and then sunk his teeth above the gland.

Rey shrieked as Ben’s body held her in place as he continued pumping inside of her, her orgasm set off by his bite.

He lapped at the wound, guzzling the blood there and then soothed it with his hot saliva.

Her walls convulsed around his cock, milking it, fluttering and pulsing as her body sunk into a euphoric and boneless state.

“We are not finished yet.”

Rey stared up at Ben, his lips bloody and eyes wild.

“On your hands and knees, omega,” he ordered.

He slid out of her and balanced on his knees. Not wanting to leave him waiting, she rolled and leaned upwards, balancing herself on her forearms and shaky knees.

She arched her back, baring herself to him once more, unabashed at such a bold display. She needed more.

Ben’s hand trailed the length of her spine, his touch so gentle. Then he slapped her ass, hard.

She yelped and he repeated the motion on her other cheek, before smoothing his hand over the abused flesh.

“Did you like that, Rey?”

“Yes.”

He spanked her once more and she was sure she would bruise, but she welcomed it. She wanted to feel him for days, she wanted him to hinder her movements so everyone could tell that her alpha had fucked her well and true.

“Good girl, such a good girl for your alpha,” he murmured.

She felt him lining himself up once more against her sensitive flesh. She was dazed, still coming down from her first orgasm but he was relentless.

He slammed into her, burying himself up to the hilt.

“You need this, don’t you? You need my cock and knot to get you through this heat,” he grunted, his hands took a firm hold of her hips and he withdrew a fraction and then sunk back in.

The mention of his knot had Rey once more ready and needy.

That was the only thing that would deliver her from her sweet torment, she needed to be filled.

“Knot me, please knot me.”

Ben set a punishing pace, with this position he delved deeper, she grabbed the headboard as they careened towards the edge. The slapping of their sweat soaked skin was lewd and dirty.

Her breasts bounced as he took control of her, possessed her in every way.

He was close; she knew this as so was she. He dipped a hand between them and located her clit; he circled it, keeping his circles tight and precise.

“I am going to cum, Ben.”

“Fuck, Rey,” Ben growled.

They came in unison, a perfect symphony of pants, moans and grunts. She felt him spurt inside of her, his cum painting her walls.

It was then something expanded, stretching her when she felt as if she could not be pushed anymore. It was his knot. It was engorged and tied them together, locking them in place.

It kept his seed from spilling from inside of her.

“Come here,” Ben said, he guided them onto their sides, a more comfortable position and cradled her from behind.

Lazily, he caressed her breasts, his breathing ragged as he composed himself, nuzzling against her fresh bite.

“Mine.”

“Yours,” she assured him.

She was his and he was hers.

He tongued the bite, his breath hitching as he ejaculated more, it was seemingly an endless stream but it soothed her so, effectively dampening the heat within.

Eyes drooping, she rested, her body no longer ached, she was free and blissfully joyous.

“Sleep,” he whispered.

And so they did, joined as one.

* * *

Ben awoke the next morning, deliciously sore, wonderfully spent, used and content. Rey had worked him, taken him to the stars and beyond and his heart was full.

How had he been blessed so. An omega, Rey was a rare and elusive omega, the true counterpart to an alpha. They were a matching pair. It worried him though, his thoughts flitting back to his grandparent’s, his grandmother’s murder and how she was pursued for her beauty and omega status.

While the loss of Padme had driven Anakin mad, Ben could not help but relate to his enigmatic grandfather even more. He was unsure if he could survive without her, if he could breathe if she did not. It was not worth thinking about.

For he would protect her, he would rise up to any trouble or challenger and put them down until he stood victorious.

Nothing else mattered.

Nothing would come close to what he felt while one with Rey. The sense of belonging was unparalleled.

He had fucked her into oblivion and she him. He hurt in places, unused to using some of his muscles in such a delightful fashion.

Now he was free of the worst of his rut, no longer overcome by instinct and he wanted to cherish her, worship the woman he adored.

She deserved to feel loved, to be loved.

He wanted to make love to her.

Rolling onto his side, he carefully manoeuvred himself from Rey’s hold, she sighed at the loss of contact but it was short lived. He slithered downwards along the silk sheets, positioning his broad body between Rey’s bare thighs.

She was glorious, a magnificent sight and already primed for him, her heat was unlike his rut, he knew from reading and research that she would experience an overwhelming arousal for a week, although each day that passed, it would ebb and wane as long as she was being seen to. The thought sent a shot of liquid heat to his cock and like her, he was ready and hard.

The day before had offered very little time for foreplay. Amongst his rut and her incessant heat, they had both been more than ready, no warm up required but still, Ben wanted to divulge. While he was inexperienced, he could read her mind with ease and he hoped she would guide him, either that or his instincts would lead the way.

For a second, he sat back and admired the view, resting his head on her toned thigh. Her folds were bare and a delightful shade of pink, swollen with the rush of blood that came with her arousal. A small thatch of neatly trimmed hair decorated her mound; he ran his fingers through it, liking how it caught their combined scents from their earlier joining. It was heady, primal. Moving closer, he nosed it, inhaling deeply.

Yes.

His own musky and masculine scent was undoubtedly there and deep within her too, forever tainting her walls. His pride and cock swelled. She would never be rid of him or his essence and it felt so incredibly right.

He lowered his mouth to her folds, parting them with his index and middle finger and then he unearthed her hard clit as if he had found the rarest of pearls. He flicked it tentatively, niggling it and it pulsed below his tongue. She was drenched, sleek below him and he wanted to consume her, devour what she had to offer. The small taste he had granted himself was magnificent and earthy. It was like summer rain, sweet and pure and he wanted more.

He delved in, flattening his wide tongue against the hard nub before licking a strip down to her entrance. He swirled around her folds, teasing her before latching back on the engorged and neglected clit. He sucked; gently at first before applying more pressure with his pump lips.

“Ben,” Rey gasped.

His eyes found hers, hers were bright but half lidded and there was no doubt that his mate was enjoying what he was performing. Confidence radiated through him, his instincts beaming with silent satisfaction at how he was pleasing his mate.

Deciding to experiment more, he sunk two fingers into her and pumped them shallowly, enjoying how she squeezed them, clamping onto them with an instinctual need.

She was a natural; she grasped and welcomed every part of him so well, his omega thrived.

Rey accommodated him, rolling her hips as she fucked herself on his fingers without abandon. He was memorised by her movements, she swayed and danced like a flower in the wind.

Knowing she needed more, he added another finger, totalling three.

Her little gasps and breathy moans sparked his own longing; he humped his mattress, his cock rolling with ease against the silk, a wondrous friction. He thrust senselessly. He lapped at her clit, alternating between jabbing it with the tip of his tongue or lavishing it with the full width as he smoothed it and pressed it hot against her.

Her slickness coated his lips, making the whole act easier. He guzzled her juices down, relishing the heady taste, something he knew he would forever crave.

“Oh Ben, I am so close,” Rey cried out, jutting her hips upwards as she rode his tongue, drenching him more. The action wet his face but he was unravelled and along for the ride.

She took a firm hold of hair, tugging it at the roots but the pain, bordering with the insane pleasure was luscious. He wanted her to pull it more as he increased his speed and then alternated his rhythm. Knowing she could read him, especially in such a vulnerable state, it was not long before she granted his wish and pulled harder, wringing her slender fingers in his tendrils and yanking, guiding him where she wanted him the most.

With his free hand, he glided it upwards and rested it flat against her abdomen, pinning her to the bed. Throughout it all, he maintained a sense of control that alphas craved.

“Pinch your nipples, Rey,” he commanded.

Following his instruction, she untangled her digits from her hair and Ben watched in heated anticipation as trailed them upwards along the expanse of her torso until they landed on her breasts. With both hands, she cupped herself and then circled her nipples with her forefinger and thumb before applying pressure.

“Oh,” she gasped out.

With her added stimulation there, Ben crooked his fingers upwards, sweeping against a patch of rigged flesh inside of her. Her hips jolted upwards but he managed her, his palm flattening her back against the best as he nourished the spot before suckling her clit.

“I am coming,” she screamed and he felt it.

Soon she was convulsing around him, her juices soaked his face and palm but still he continued, coaxing her orgasm as far as he could bring it.

Flushed and dazed, she looked down at him, beckoning him upwards and who was he to deny such a request.

He mapped her curves and grooves with his mouth, peppering her skin with wet kisses as he made his way up to her. No part of her was left untouched. No single inch of her skin was undiscovered or neglected by him; she was burned into his mind, body and soul.

When he was close enough, she cupped his jaw, lavishing a dosage of her own kisses there before finding his lips and kissing him tenderly. It was all so languid and relaxing, they moved as one. With the taste of her still on his lips and tongue, she tasted herself and she gladly accepted the gift.

“Can I make love to you?” Ben whispered, moving an errant strand of hair from her face.

The vulnerability he was exhibiting was contrastable of the man he had become in recent weeks, one ruled by rage and uncertainty riddled with nothing but the fear of losing his mate. All of his worries were forgotten in that moment, he only saw her, he could only taste and think of her.

Rey’s eyes took on a shine, a slither of unshed tears. He could feel her as the impact of his words overcame her with emotion, they both were. They had waited so long, suffered alone without the other and it was all so surreal to finally realise their dreams and keep the other close.

“Please, show me you love me, Ben,” she choked out, a watery grin lit up her bronze skin.

Ben did not need more of an invitation. He fisted his cock and directed it towards her entrance. He gathered some of her slick and coated the length of himself in it. Maintaining eye contact, he positioned himself and thrust his hips slowly forward, her folds parted and her cunt accommodated him, squeezing his cock with an iron tight grasp.

It was something he would never tire of, feeling so close to her, joined as one. He gasped in unison with her and jutted forward until he was buried entirely inside of her. It still awed him, how she took him the way she did, she was made for him. He braced himself on his elbows and leaned downwards, kissing her softly as she caressed his back and hips.

Together they worked adoringly; his strokes were precise, each one hitting a celestial spot inside of her. She mewled below him, their eyes never straying from one another. Feeling confident in his movements, he rolled his hips, increasing his speed ever so slightly as she raised her hips up to meet his, her knees parted further, bracketing his waist. Grasping her ankles, he draped them over his shoulders. The angle accommodated him and he slid deeper inside of her, reaching a new level of tightness, her hold on him was blinding.

Seeing stars, he withdrew and drove himself back in, his thrusts rooting him in place.

“Rey,” he moaned, face falling forward into the crook of her neck.

Her new bite had healed wonderfully, it matched the one he wore but still he was tender there, glossing over it with care and consideration.

The slapping of their flesh meeting one another and the wet, lewd sounds of his cock sliding in and out of her soon sent him offer the edge but he was mindful of his mate’s pleasure, he moved her hand under his own and slithered it to her clit. He ruled her, both of them rubbed her clit with a new vigour as Ben came, panting hard and Rey joined him, contracting and milking him of his seed as his knot expanded, effectively locking them in place.

Blissful, Ben grinned into her sweaty skin, much like his own and rolled them so she was sitting upon him; his thighs accommodating her, his queen claimed her throne.

“You are so beautiful,” he murmured upwards, admiring the sheen her tawny skin emitted. She was glowing, glorious in her splendour and poise.

Rey laughed quietly, it vibrated between them and jarred their cores, he grunted as more of his cum expelled inside of her, the ropes seemingly never ending.

Sated, she draped herself across his chest; he patted her back before smoothing his palm along her spine.

“I love you, Ben Solo.”

He had never felt such love.

He was wanted, needed and cherished and that was everything to him.

“I love you, Rey Kenobi.”

* * *

A while later, they managed to untangle themselves from one another. Ben suggested they take a shower before her heat spiked again. It was already boiling, simmering just below the surface with a most tantalising fever. Only he could dull the flames, her most benevolent alpha.

Now that she had felt him inside of her, she was certain that a piece of her would forever be empty and barren whenever they were separated. The heat had awakened her sexual tenacity and it only grew, lunging skywards ready for the most thrilling of crescendos.

While she agreed with his suggestion, both of them were coated in sweat and arousal, she mourned. A part of her aspired to lay in wait and conserve his essence in and around her. It was odd but the desire ran deep, she coveted to keep herself glazed in his spend so she would smell of him, his claim on her much more than emotional. The idea of warding off any others from herself with the physical remnants of their lovemaking was most tempting; it was carnal and strictly primal.

She fondled her new bite, a mirror image of the one she bestowed upon Ben’s neck. Shuddering, she hummed in appreciation. He had laid claim to her not once, but twice and she had no doubt that it pleased him as it did her. Albeit nothing but a scar due to the healing, it still throbbed and called for him with every passing swipe of her finger.

Rey ogled a very naked Ben, transfixed by the sway of his hips as he sauntered toward the shower. She especially admired how the muscles in his ass worked as he moved; it was a symphony of lean and toned flesh. As if sensing her eyes on him, Ben stilled and glanced at her over his bare shoulder.

“Join me, omega?” He asked, quirking his brow at her, an impish grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, his lips were still wet with her arousal.

She could still taste herself on her own tongue and it drove out her inhibitions, she was drunk on it.

It was too tempting of an offer to decline; she lay back on her elbows and opened her legs, revealing her own nakedness to him. His eyes popped, hungrily devouring the image of her. She then hindered his view by draping her calf across her thigh. It was a most wondrous teasing.

Ben gaped, a teasing pout graced his features at the glimpse of herself she had offered.

“As if I could deny my alpha,” she murmured, emboldened by her new sense of power, she embraced womanhood and this new part of herself, the hunger for him.

Ben appeared ready to drag her from the sheets and take her under the spray with him until the shrill tone of Rey’s phone brought them back to reality, effectively ending their moment.

Rey groaned, thoroughly annoyed at such an intrusion but she knew the shower escapades would wait.

“I will be with you soon,” she offered, as she scooped up her phone from the bedside table.

“Do not keep me waiting, Rey,” Ben called, already disappearing from view as the tell tale sounds of a power shower rumbling to life filled the space.

Sporting a pout of her own and the image of Ben’s naked form in the forefront of her mind, she answered the call.

“Hello,” she mumbled, standing.

“Hello, Miss Kenobi. This is Dr Snoke’s secretary, Bazine. I was just calling to confirm your appointment for next Thursday at noon.”

Rey relaxed, glad that the nuisance standing between her and the shower was easily dealt with.

“Yes, I am still able to attend.”

“Fantastic! Mr Snoke looks forward to meeting with you again. That is everything, thank you, have a wonderful day,” the receptionist said, much too chipper and sweet.

It was all so faux, unbearably endearing without any real genuineness. She recalled the woman and shuddered, there was something about her, something she could not quite put her finger on.

The woman did not matter though, she would persevere as Alistair Snoke was the final link to her family and he was wholly qualified to aid her in her struggles that she had experienced since the attack.

Rey mumbled a goodbye and hung up, throwing her phone into the pillows.

Conversation long forgotten, she all but ran to the bathroom, only to collide with Ben.

She bounced back with an oomph, but Ben was ready and he steadied her and kept her from falling. No matter what, he seemed always ready to catch her.

“You could not wait, could you? Someone is insatiable,” Ben quipped, palming her curvy hips.

Rey smiled, a brilliant, rosy blush coloured her cheeks.

“For you, always,” she whispered, squealing as Ben hoisted her up and walked them both into the steamy bliss of the shower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *sighs*
> 
> I honestly hate how this turned out but I did not want to keep you all waiting another week.
> 
> Go easy on me, smut writing is difficult. It is beyond me
> 
> The last couple of weeks have been rough and I feel as if it has reflected in my writing.
> 
> Anyway, feel free to leave whatever is on your mind. Thoughts, feelings and theories are nice. Quoting your favourite line is better than extra kudos


	14. Red

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey's heat ends and she meets the pack which ends in a most unwelcome meeting

The rest of the week crawled by in a heated daze of entangled limbs and cursing moans.

The days shared between the two had been the most life altering experience of Rey’s life.

Gone was the woman who feared for her future or cowered behind doors. In her place, a forcible, hearty woman whose strength was almost entirely without fault, flourished. She had never known such raw power or self-recognition but consummating her mating with Ben had unblinded her to what she was, the potential of what she could achieve. There was no disillusion in her vision for the future.

It was catharthis.

She was complete.

She was whole.

The scars of the vicious attack remained but they were no longer fresh and bleeding. They had healed with only the ghost of the night marking her body and mind. Ben was the holiest of healers; his talents apparently knew no end. With his breath against her skin or upon her mouth, he filled her with new life that cured all. With only a whisper, he planted the seeds of hope inside of her and together they would replenish it, water it with their strength as they moved forward with light in their minds and hearts.

She hoped one day that the pain would make her a warrior. It was a shadow that would follow her until her final day but she refused to let it darken her, it would fuel her. She would never forget the struggle but she wanted to move forward with positivity in her heart.

The lovers’ exploration of one another’s bodies knew no bounds, no spots lay undiscovered. In very little time, each had mapped out the other’s flesh and reactions and tucked the treasured bounties away in the confines of their minds for safekeeping.

Only weeks before, she had thought of herself as Ben’s most voracious reader, that she mastered in all things him but she had only dipped below the surface in her observations.

They had bared much more than their bodies; they had opened their souls for judgment.

Rey felt as if she had conquered Ben’s body, mind and soul and laid more than just her claim there. When she rocked upon him, she ruled him, when she mewled beneath him, he possessed her.

It was a wicked dance of new delights and both were insatiable, even when Ben’s rut waned after two days and Rey’s heat ebbed with every passing day.

On the seventh day, Rey feigned sleep as the city noises and humidity roused Ben from sleep. Neither had paid much mind to the outside world, both were too engrossed with each other. Both were each other’s light at the end of the tunnel and with that came a sense of tunnel vision that compelled them both, blinding them.

She lay face down on her stomach, sprawled out with her arms cradling a pillow. Listening to him stretch, the little groans and clicks of his body, was a quiet temptation. Unsure if he was aware that she was awake, she waited and felt his fingertips as they danced along the length of her exposed spine, the bedsheets thrown and lost during the night. Shivering involuntary, she lay with bated breath. Ben pressed a kiss in between her shoulder blades and rose, padding towards the bathroom.

Once he was out of earshot, she rolled onto her back and slithered down the bed, ready to put her plan into play.

Ben had used his mouth on her an obscene number of times until even she thought it was borderline sinful. Devouring her and what her body offered was his new obsession; he was a starving man and she the feast, her produce ripe and sweet and the only cure for his hunger.

Despite her travels across the expanse of his body, she had yet to taste him and pleasure him in that way. Briefly, before they came together as one, she had nourished his cock head and sampled him there. The experience was short lived as the need for him to fill the emptiness inside her and for him to rut until he exploded and painted her insides, overrode any desire she had to sample his offering.

A coy grin adorned her features as she slipped from the plush sheets and rose to her feet, nude, and with all insecurities long abandoned.

Like an apex predator, she crept around the bedroom and stalked her prey, an omega pursuing an alpha, a most thrilling reversal of roles.

Mindful that the task of surprising her alpha required stealth, a covert slyness, her footfalls were but woodsy whispers on the taupe, hardwood flooring. With a graceful prowess she never thought capable of her lithe limbs, she crept a silent dance to the bathroom, thoroughly enjoying the hunt. She nudged the door open with her index finger and stilled for a moment, waiting, listening.

The hum and roar of the power shower was enough to conceal the noises that accompanied her movements. Licking her lips, she tiptoed across the cool marble; the room was canvassed in a wall of hot steam, aiding her journey across the tiles with the low visibility. The walk in shower sat nestled in the corner of the room, the spray was heavy and loud.

Ben stood with his back to her, head resting on the slippery tiles and with one hand splayed on the glass. His physique was a thing of marvel; he was all long, coiled limbs and thickness, his muscles well earned and telling of his alpha status. Memorised, she gazed at him as the suds raced downwards along the curves and ridges of his back; some clung to the dimples above his ass while others rolled down his parted thighs.

His other hand ran along the expanse of his stomach, smearing soap there and Rey gawked, advancing upon him. Without a door in the walk in shower, her task was easy; she stepped up and allowed the steam to caress her. Sauntering forward, she stopped behind him when she was an arms length away.

Ben had appeared not to have noticed her and for that, she was thankful, her brazen admiration of him was candid and undisturbed. With a quick swipe of her tongue to wet her lips, she squared her shoulders back and stepped forward, closing the space between their bodies. She pressed her body flush against him; her breasts grazed his back as she cradled him from behind.

Ben startled, his chest heaved upwards into her palms, she squeezed his pectoral muscles and brushed his nipples with her thumbs. Alternating, she dragged her nail across the sensitive flesh and Ben hissed, his groans rose above the noise of the spray.

“Did I scare you, alpha?” She hummed as she turned her neck, resting the side of her face between his shoulder blades.

Below her left palm, his heart raced, pulsing a thumping tune into the skin there.

“I thought you were sleeping. You snuck up on me, impressive. Do your talents have no end?” he mused aloud playfully but his husky tone was far more telling. He was thrown by her deviousness and forwardness. The nerve she possessed to sneak up on him was unexpected; it was unlike the submissive she played in their time together.

Heat enveloped her as she shifted her hands downwards from his chest, her fingers danced around his middle; she skimmed his abs, counting them in breathy whispers. Ben melted into her touch; his body lit up and sighed with the contact. Then her fingers slithered lower until until she grappled his hipbones, she squeezed, hard.

Ben released a strangled moan; he was incredibly responsive to the beginnings of her touch and exploration.

“I wanted to surprise you, Ben, I am in need of something from you,” she whispered.

Ben turned and crushed her to his chest; the water soaked her, enveloping her with a new kind of heat.

“I will give you the world, the moon. Anything you need, Rey,” he proclaimed, his eyes searched hers, so incredibly curious of what she desired, he was clearly perplexed.

Rey initially offered no answer and shielded her mind with the impenetrable fortress she constructed; she kept her features cool and neutral.

“You will give me everything,” she grinned as her confidence soared.

Her hand shot out and grasped what was rightfully hers; she wrapped her dainty fingers around his hard cock and dropped to her knees.

Her descent towards the tiles was witnessed by a most dazed spectator, their eyes locked in a wicked challenge. It was thrilling, a wonderment of the finest sort.

On her knees, she peered upwards, still groping his growing erection in her slick palm; she tilted her head to the side, eyes wide and shiny. She was ready for what was to happen.

Ben’s eyes widened, his pupils were blown and mouth agape. He worked his jaw; it grew taut as he clenched it. No, he had not expected such a daring and jarring move from Rey and that roused her.

“I have a need, a craving.”

Ben choked, huffing out loudly as she stroked the length of him and she squeezed him as he preferred, she knew all. She paid special attention to the assortment of veins that bulged under the surface; they begged for attention, each a sensitive trail that pleaded for exploration.

“I want to taste you here, will you allow that?” She asked, his encouragement was something she was in dire need of, an essential part of her being.

His hips thrust forward a fraction and Rey steadied herself by wrapping her arm around the back of his firm thigh and kneaded the flesh there, anchoring herself to it.

“Yes. The rule is you can’t just have part, you have to take the whole thing or nothing.”

A jolt of heat pulsed through her pussy, this side of Ben, the commanding and assertive man who could put her in place, as she was rightfully his; he aroused her and awoke the animal within.

She realised then, that she was his prey.

All sexual control was relinquished on her part, something she willingly transferred over into his capable hands. Ben had proven himself as sexually domineering, a startling contrast to the sweet man who whispered sweet nothings above her heart as they laid to sleep.

That was his alpha side, it was Kylo in all of his stunning glory, this was his domain and he was the master of her sexual pleasure.

When she had awakened, she had formulated the plan to seduce him but she now knew that she was a pawn in his wicked game. She had fallen into the trap that was his web, lead on by her need to taste him and now he was ready to work her.

“Can you do that for me, sweetheart? Do you think you can take me?” He asked coyly, tracing the outline of her jaw with his pinkie finger. He clicked his tongue, tutting as he made contact with her waiting mouth.

She nodded, staring up at him, entirely at his mercy.

“Show me.”

And so she did.

The steady stream of water had soaked him and her and so she leaned forward, his cock still in her possession.

Squeezing gently first, she lifted the heavy member and tilted her mouth upwards and scorched a hot trail from his shaft to the tip.

“Fuck,” Ben gritted out and then grabbed her hair, fisting it.

That only spurred her on.

Smiling now, she parted her lips and tore her eyes away from his face as she focused on pleasuring him.

Like the rest of him, his cock seemed impossibly thick but she was prepared for the challenge. It was heavy and twitched with every stroke. Rising up on her knees, she was now level with it and without hesitation, she swallowed the head, swirling her tongue there and lapping up the pre-ejaculate.

This was what she wanted.

He was the ocean, his essence the salt of the earth.

Over the past week, he had rutted and planted his seed deep within her but now she wanted it in another capacity, hooked on the taste of all things Ben.

Hollowing her cheeks, she accommodated him further, mindful to keep her teeth in check. If the two had learned one thing about each other that week, it had been that they both enjoyed biting and marring the other.

Ben slid further in, praising her as he slowly berthed past her lips and mouth. Rey relaxed her throat and jaw as he did, thankful for his initial slowness.

“You are taking me so well,” Ben lauded and it was only then, with her mouth full of him that she dared to stare upwards at him again.

Ben’s hold on her hair tightened as he moved his cock further into the plush wetness that was her mouth and she adored it, humming around his length, which only seemed to incite him more. The little vibrations reverberated against his cock and he growled in response, clearly appreciative of her skill.

“You have no idea how beautiful you look with your cute lips wrapped around my cock. I have wanted this for years; you teased me at work, didn’t you? The way you used to play with those fucking pens and sucked them right in front of me. I wanted to drag you under my desk and put that pretty little mouth of yours to better use,” Ben growled, incensed as finally, he buried the entirety of his cock in her eager mouth and down her throat.

Rey breathed harshly through her nose and fought the urge to gag around him but despite the sharpness of his words, he was gentle and allowed her time to accustom herself. The sound of her choking on his cock was something she adored and from a quick check into his mind, he did too, it filled him with a brutish pride.

She could only nod, affirming the truth of his words. Of course, she knew what he was referring to, those lengthy boardroom meetings that nearly bored her to sleep. Rey had wanted Ben since the first day she had laid eyes on him but of course never entertained the idea, it was unprofessional and at the time, she was unsure if he wanted her in that capacity.

That did not deflect her fantasies or desires. Her heart wanted what she wanted and so did her body. So, in those moments of quiet or surrounded by the droning of old board members, she played the role of seductress but Ben never fell for her charms. There were tells that he wanted her, the way he fisted his hands at his side or the fire that shone behind his eyes but he had not pursued her.

Now she knew why, he did not want to drag her into his world and yet, that was exactly what he had done. With one almighty bite in the night, he had pulled her into a world she might have otherwise never have known.

Eyes brimming with tears, she bobbed up and down on his cock, he guided her, moving her head for her to his preferred pace. She rolled her tongue around him, slurping loudly as she devoured him, lavishing him with attention.

He fucked her face without abandon, testing and honing her latest and valued skill. He drove into her ever-welcoming mouth, it was hot and wet so he muttered his praises, teeth bared, snarling unlike any man should.

Through hooded lids she peeked up at him, his face was flushed a brilliant scarlet, his eyes clamped shut as he fell back against the tiles.

“I am going to cum, Rey.”

She knew he was close, from her vantage point she witnessed how his abdominal muscles tensed and fluttered above her, his cock twitched and pulsed wildly in her mouth.

Sucking much harder now, she valleyed her cheeks once more and flicked the underside of his cock in quick little beats.

Ben groaned, withdrawing almost fully, only his tip remained captive by her sinful mouth and he filled that crevice, ropes of thick cum pooled in the groove of her mouth and on her tongue.

All of which, she greedily accepted, unwilling to swallow until he expelled every last drop.

She appreciated his taste before gulping it down, Ben’s eyes were full of appraisal, wonder and awe and he grinned, a mischievous kind of smile that told her there was more to come.

Smacking her lips together, she cleaned him, running and flattening her tongue over his cock once more before she directed him towards the spray, cleansing him of all remnants of their time together.

Ben pulled her upwards and kissed her hard. Unsurprised of his willingness to taste her despite where her mouth had just been, she returned his affection with enthusiasm.

Grasping his bicep, she steadied herself as his hands clamped around her waist, pulling her further into the stream.

“You’re perfect,” Ben moaned aloud.

The praise was something omegas craved, the reassurance that they had pleased their alphas was coveted and Rey ate it up.

Ben dipped his hand between them, his fingers deft and expertly in their movements. He cupped her sex, sinking his middle finger into her wet heat, sliding in with ease as he buried the digit inwards until he was knuckle deep.

Rey wailed in relief.

“So wet for me, do you want me, Rey?” Ben challenged, crooking his finger upwards as he found that delightful spot within her.

Flustered, her hips jostled forwards, rotating in wide circles as she rode his thick digit.

“Yes, please, Ben, I need you,” she mewled, resting her head against his chest, unable to function or stand straight as he continually teased her.

“Anything for you, sweetheart. You’ve been such a good girl,” he declared, withdrawing his finger. He ran it up the length her slit, she was open for him, only him.

She was the flower and he was the spring that produced her blossoming.

“Face the wall and put your hands on the tiles,” he instructed and Rey’s heart leapt from her chest, this is what she wanted and needed from him.

She craved a dominant Ben to coax her pleasure from her in the most pleasing of ways, one that nurtured the sexual submissiveness that came with being an omega.

She obeyed him without much thought, turning on her heel; she rested her cheek on the tiles and placed her hands on the marble too, splaying them for security.

“Good.”

Ben then nudged his knee between her legs, parting them until she was spread open before him.

“Very good, Rey.”

Rey shivered as his hot breaths peppered the nape of her neck as he inspected her, splayed out before him. Once again, he cupped her from behind, his eager fingers brushed her folds, parting them while his palm jutted against the slick of her entrance.

“You know I can take whatever I want.”

It was barely above a whisper but it rang so loud, his words possessed her mind until all she could think of was him and what he had planned for her.

“Yes.”

Ben hummed and flicked his tongue over her mating gland that bore the imprint of his teeth.

With one final swipe of her clitoris, he palmed her and then extracted his hand from between her legs.

For a moment he left her like that, she felt his eyes on her, his thoughts shone with praise, followed closely behind by a hunger, a primal need to take what was unquestionably his.

Beckoning him, she arched her spine and presented herself to the alpha behind her. A low rumble timbered from deep within his chest as he grasped her hip with one hand and aligned himself with the other.

The head slipped in with ease and from there, he filled her fully with a quick snap of his hips, crowning her firm behind with a wet, resounding slap.

“Ben,” Rey panted, her palm slid from the tile but Ben grabbed it and planted it firmly back in place, his hand canvassing her own.

All she could manage was to back into him as he caged her against the wall, his pace was unrelenting and wicked but everything she needed.

The two danced their lovers dance with a practiced finesse, the week had served them well and it was hard to imagine a time where neither knew the touch of the other.

Ben was the lead, the debauched and hedonistic conductor who weaved a wanton symphony that brought Rey to her peak, the most thrilling of sexual crescendos. Their combined moans were a carnal melody that would be replayed time and time again.

Ben shifted and spread her legs further before guiding one upwards; he cradled her lean calf over his forearm. The angle was delicious and he achieved the impossible, he slid deeper within her and she keened, rolling her hips in time with him.

“Oh Ben, harder, please,” she begged, she was in dire need of a bruising; she wanted to feel where he had claimed within her for days after, a rich reminder of his affections.

Knowing exactly how to please her, he slammed into her, his hold on her hips was crushing; she hoped to wear his violet imprints for days. The marks were searing, his palms were two suns upon her skin.

“You’re so tight Rey, I don’t think I can last much longer,” he gritted out, planting a kiss upon her mating mark; he suckled there, grazing his teeth over the sensitive area.

It overloaded her senses, her stomach tightened and her pussy fluttered as he circled her clit while he continued to maintain his frantic pace. Panting, she swivelled her hips and swallowed his cock once more, she was careening over the cliff edge with open arms. Ben hastily chased and approached his own release so the pressure on her clit increased and she was undone. Screaming, she convulsed around him and he grunted as he came, stilling for a moment before thrusting lazily as his knot expanded.

“This is heaven,” he whispered.

The couple remained that way, pressed flat against the tiles, ragged breaths and racing hearts their concert amongst the hum of the spray.

When his knot deflated, he slid out of her and Rey whined, already mourning the loss of him. Her pussy clasped over nothing, begging for him once again.

Then, the alpha dropped to his knees before his omega.

A most devout worshipper, he prayed at her body, her altar.

The intensity of his gaze was scorching; his irises mostly swallowed by his pupils.

Rey eyed him curiously as he slid his finger against his spend, trailing it up its path before he pushed it back inside of her. Her fingers curled into the firm muscle in his shoulder, she gripped him for support, as the surprise of the gratifying intrusion was enough to sway her.

Acting purely on his instincts, she watched on as he worked her, not wanting to waste a drop of what was spilled. When he finished, he kissed her mound, reached for a washcloth, and cleaned her, paying special attention between her thighs and what was hidden between them.

Once he had finished cleaning her, he pressed a kiss to her lips, tilted her chin upwards with the tip of his index finger and led her from the shower.

“You should surprise me more often,” he grinned, they both lay back in bed, the day still young with the promise of the night ahead.

For a while, they were silent, both reminisced about the past week. They were sprawled amongst raven sheets and pillows; they were soft and silky against their naked forms.

Ben draped his hands across her abdomen and trailed lazy circles there.

“Have you ever thought about children?” He asked, facing her, his voice took on an innocence, a vulnerability she had not been expecting.

Rey’s breath hitched.

It was no secret that Ben wanted children, despite her being on birth control, for the entirety of her heat; he worked to increase the chances of pregnancy even though it was fruitless. Never did he waste a drop of his essence and more than once, he had brought her to climax again around his knot so that her convulsions around him milked him of more and absorbed what he offered.

It was endearing to see him ruled by his instincts, the softer side that appeared.

Of course, he wanted to further his line, to sow his seed deep within her and wait for produce. She had seen it in his mind, his imaginings of her round with his child. It moved her; it made her want to fulfil the dream. Ben would make a wonderful father, he was caring and understanding, his heart was full and bursting with love.

Rey was young though, soon to turn twenty-three, the age difference and differing standpoints in life were evident then. Ben was ready; he was ready for it all.

She smoothed his wet hair away from his face and braced herself.

“I am scared,” she admitted, her gaze fell to his mouth then, she was afraid of his reaction, she did not want to disappoint him.

Instead, Ben drew her to him and showed her once more of the fullness and love in his heart.

“What are your scared of, Rey?”

It was not an attack; he did not challenge her or bleed her dry for information. It was a quiet curiosity.

She swallowed hard and exhaled.

“I never knew my mother; I don’t know how to be one. I don’t want to fail any children I may have.”

A silence lingered between the two, Ben’s heart raced below her.

“You will make a wonderful mother. You may not have known yours but your heart knows love and that is what a child needs. We will make mistakes but we will learn together,” he assured her, smiling gently.

He was right, of course he was.

“We have time, there is no rush,” he continued and that was enough for her.

“We do,” she confirmed.

The two allowed sleep to find them once more, the visions of raven-haired children with freckled, sun kissed skin was at the forefront of both of their minds.

* * *

The journey to the cabin was a quiet affair, a striking contrast to the frantic frenzy that had transpired the week before when the two were consumed in the haze of their heat and rut.

Rey was admittedly nervous, for it was her first full moon as a wolf.

Although Ben chose not to voice his concerns, she knew he worried and was obviously apprehensive about what awaited them.

Hindsight was an insightful but sometimes tedious tool and as she reflected, it struck her how close to death she had been during her first transformation. Her body had endured the most horrific and violent agony, her skin and temperature had flamed and she knew her heart had been close to stalling, the struggle too much for the precious organ.

There was no form of expression poignant enough to voice the pain that she had suffered through, everything fell short.

It was Ben who had coaxed her through it, without his guidance, she was unsure if she would have been able to survive the ordeal. The island and ocean he had told her to envision were still in her mind and she hoped that one day they would find a semblance of that place.

There was also the fact that tonight; she would meet Ben’s parents and the rest of the pack. Her grandfather had led the pack before he left them. Ben had said in many ways, she possessed more claim to the leadership but she declined and insisted it was his or both of theirs. She would stand by his side and carry his burdens with him; she did not want him below her, they were equals.

Ben’s apartment had been their safe haven for the week and so travelling was somewhat daunting. She was free of her heat but still, she wanted to hide away from the world some more and live in bliss, forgetting the troubles that awaited them.

Throughout the past week, Ben’s father had kept him updated about any progress or leads about the missing women, it was evident how distraught Ben was, his own sister stolen from under their noses.

Admittedly, he was also apprehensive about leaving the apartment; the consummation of their mating only heightened his need to protect Rey. Her presentation as an omega, a rare being, most uncommon and mostly unseen, their numbers had dwindled with every year that passed and neared extinction. It was most concerning.

She was unsure if he would ever let her out of his shadow again and if he did, she knew of the anxiety that would cripple him during their separation.

As they neared the lake, the car was filled with the familiar scent of oak, fresh soil and jasmine.

Already she had felt the need to shift. Ben had explained that while it was a voluntary action and the moon powered them through it, it was advised to transform, she would feel better for it.

The images of her first transition raced around her mind, how could she submit herself to such agony again? Ben had told her a lot between the flare-ups of her heat. She knew he felt no pain when he shifted, not after his first harrowing ordeal at aged five, the youngest in their history, but that did not apply to everyone. For thousands of years, their kind had relied on marijuana or other alternative pain relief, some drank to dull the sensations but Rey wanted her mind clear.

“You will be okay,” Ben assured her softly; he brought their entwined hands to his lips and kissed her hand.

The relief was instantaneous, a calm washed over her. She believed that she could conquer anything with his reassurance and presence.

“Are you sure it is okay for me to be there?”

Ben scoffed, chuckling as he side eyed her.

“Your grandfather was once pack leader; there is no one more deserving of a space in our pack than you.”

There was no arguing against that but while she was worthy, there was still so much regarding their kind that she did not know. Some part of her feared that she would bring only disappointment with her lack of knowledge. The other part was eager for the opportunity to learn, to become a part of something that had always been within her, in her blood. It was a sense of belonging she craved.

The pack could offer her that and more.

Although the night sky was still light with life, shining with a brightness only known to the summer months, the full moon was in place, its outline clear and in sight. Ben pulled up to her cabin and quickly deposited their bags; he had brought half his wardrobe with him, something Rey found herself appreciative of. The idea of sleeping alone after clinging to him for weeks was daunting, he belonged at her side and she refused that kind of separation. While they had only been dating a few weeks, their relationship was solidified; their mating held more weight than any other relationship comparable. They were bonded for life; time was no consequence for them as together they would stand until their dying day.

Rey leaned against his Mercedes, waiting patiently and inhaled. She knew now how to scent the world around her, feel the life that surrounded her. In the distance, she noticed the scent of other wolves, firewood and liquor. With every passing day, her senses were refined and finely tuned, she saw her powers as limitless and that sense of power and control pleased her.

She was no longer vulnerable; the wolf inside of her was a creature of grace and strength. The victim had been reborn.

A breeze had picked up by the time Ben joined her, steering her towards the camp. It was a welcome reprieve. Already, the adults of the pack who remained behind and those who were not evacuated, congregated. The journey was a short one, even by foot; Ben’s hand never left the small of her back. Throughout, he whispered assurances.

Making quick work of travelling through the foliage, they arrived and walked out from the treeline. All eyes were on them, the last Kenobi who had maimed their pack heir and prodigal son. Feeling exposed, Rey rubbed her forearm, it was a comfort. There were a dozen small campfires set up, each surrounded by a close group of people. Rey counted at least three dozen faces.

Some were nude which did not bother her, she knew of how clothes hindered the transition and she admired their openness, it was natural but she kept her eyes firmly on their faces as they all surveyed her. Others held glass pipes in their hands and some had already transformed, at least a dozen were in wolf form, each varying in terms of size and colour.

“This is my mate, granddaughter of Ben Kenobi and joint heir alongside myself for pack leader, Rey Kenobi,” Ben proudly introduced her, his shoulders were straight back and one arm cradled her close to him. The declaration prompted a series of whispers.

To them, she was a wonder long thought lost to the world, Kenobi blood, mighty, ancient and near dead. Rey had risen from the ashes; she had resurrected her line and only strengthened her position by mating with Ben, one of the last Skywalkers. Together they would breathe new life into their bloodlines, life that would know no end.

Some younger women of the pack waved at her, their smiles genuine and full of warmth, something quite unexpected but incredibly poignant and welcomed. Others, mostly elders, gazed at the couple, their eyes knowing and pleased with such a powerful unification. Finally, the balance was restored and the prophecy of Kenobi and Skywalker blood consummating, united in love and power, had been seemingly fulfilled.

She blushed then, seeing the hope for her in their minds without much effort on her part. She withdrew from them all, allowing them the privacy of their own thoughts. It was easy to tune them out.

Together, they moved forward towards a couple, Ben’s parents, there was no denying the familiarity. The heat and light of the flames bathed them in its amber glow as they stilled near the pair. The man stood, he was a near mirror image of Ben or what she imagined Ben would age into. He smoothed his grey hair and winked before he took a hold of her hands in his.

“I am Han. It is an honour to meet you, Rey; your grandfather was one of my dearest friends,” he squeezed her hands once in reassurance and dropped them.

There was a twinkle in his hazel orbs, not unlike her own. She wondered about the sights they had seen, the life he had led, a full and hearty one if her first impression was anything to go by.

“Thank you for having me, I’m glad to be here.”

The man offered her a smile and tapped her shoulder.

“You’re family, you will always have a place in our hearts and by our sides,” Han said, his eyes earnest and true.

All her life, she had longed for more. Her grandfather had been enough, he was her world but there was so much taken from her. She had been robbed of the chance of knowing a family, a mother to guide her and a father to protect her and Han offered that, unconditionally. She swallowed hard, feeling tears forming.

Ben pulled her closer to his side and she leaned heavily into him, encouraged by his strength and compassion.

“This is my mother, Leia,” Ben gestured to the woman sitting by Han’s side.

Her eyes were glazed over; they were long lost in a faraway place. Rey could only imagine her pain; the occasion was missing two, one being her daughter. The woman carried herself well though, despite her obvious grief, there was a regal air of how she sat, back ramrod straight and chin high, her appearance was impeccable, no hair fell out of place.

Her eyes though, the ones that Ben inherited, were undoubtedly windows to her soul, it was torn in two, a piece of her missing and there was no returning to her former glory without the return of Kaydel. Her lips quivered, a tiny tell of her grief, as if every breath was a chore she tired of.

Finally, Leia peered up at Rey; her solemn expression softened a fraction as she patted the spot beside her.

“Come here, let me see you,” Leia invited.

Han and Ben shared an exchange of knowing looks and excused themselves, claiming they would return with drinks.

Rey sat and made herself comfortable; she crossed her legs and leaned towards the woman who gave her mate the gift of life.

“You have old Ben’s eyes, I never thought I would see them again,” Leia whispered as she gathered Rey’s hand in her own.

The touch could only be described as maternal, it was calming.

“He loved you,” was all Rey could reply and it was no lie. The photo album she had poured over was filled with not only Snoke and Anakin but also Leia as she grew from a rumbustious and grinning child to a young woman.

“I know and I love him. I know he kept this life from you but I trust he had his reasons. We are happy to have you here; I have never seen my son so overwhelmed with joy. He worships the ground you walk on. Love suits him.”

Rey knew this; Ben’s love was limitless, deeper than the deepest oceans and it rivalled the light of the sun. For he was goodness incarnate, a beautiful soul bound to earth.

“I love him. I will never hurt him again,” she vowed, meeting Leia’s gaze.

She was not only referring to the wound she had inflicted upon him in anger, the one that bisected his face, she was referring to his heart. Both of them suffered with the fallout of that night, her own heart had been fragmented much like Ben’s had. Now that they were together, all knowledge out in the open, she would handle it with care, protect it and shield it from harm.

“I know. You two balance one another so well; the pack will thrive under both of your leadership. You are an omega too so you are special. I have never come across one since my mother, Padme.”

It was a feat, a challenge she was willing to accept. When their time came she would step up and succeed where her grandfather failed, she would not abandon the ones who looked up to her for guidance.

“I was sorry to hear about Kaydel. I trust that we will all find a way to return her to you, to bring her home,” Rey said softly, gauging Leia’s reaction.

The older woman inclined her head, a lone tear trailed down her face.

“We have all we need,” she said, squeezing Rey’s hand. She found her son in the crowd, gesturing to him.

Ben appeared before the two, having wrapped up a conversation with a man taller than even him and as hairy human as some of the wolves who sat ran around.

“Will you join me for a run?” He asked, extending his hand.

Rey bit her lip, looking once more at Leia who had already swiped away the remnant of her sadness.

“Go ahead, be free together,” she smiled, it did not quite meet her eyes but it was enough.

Rey placed her hand in Ben’s one and allowed him to lead her through the sea of bodies. Some danced, others reminisced quietly and Rey knew that perhaps it would be a different, lighter atmosphere if members were not lost from their ranks.

The pair stopped by a bush, Ben wasted no time in shedding his clothes, despite the close proximity of the pack members, while the foliage offered some shelter, they were still on display for most to see.

His clothes dropped to the forest floor until he stood before her nude and unabashed. Rey looked around.

“Not shy now, are we?” Ben taunted, raising his brow.

Not one to refuse a challenge, Rey smirked and started to remove her clothing. Unlike Ben, she chose a slower approach, teasing him. She peeled her camisole off, baring her chest to him and chuckled upon realising that he was hard. Her nipples pebbled in the night air, it was a freeing idea, to be one with nature and tune into what her ancestors might have done.

She shivered under the scrutiny of his gaze but inside, a heat pooled in her stomach and lower. She would never tire of the hunger that consumed him whenever he feasted upon her naked body. Inspired, she shimmied out of her skirt and panties and squared her shoulders back, quirking her brow.

Ben appraised her as if it were the first time he had seen her bared to him, no part of herself was free or safe from him. The corners of his mouth raised a fraction as he presented his extending and sharpened canines to her as he slowly shifted. He stalked toward her and a gentle breeze lifted his onyx waves. Then he blinked, the crimson engulfed his eyes and she was lost in their depths, they were a show of his power, symbolic of his passion and forever they would call to her.

Once he reached her, he tilted his head to the side and smoothed his hands over the length her arms.

“I will guide you through the transformation, I cannot promise it will be painless but I will stay by your side throughout it all,” Ben murmured, his voice was incredibly low, a calming kind of quiet.

Rey nodded, she was ready for what was ahead.

“I want you to envision the moon’s glow upon your skin. Imagine how calming it is, draw power from it and picture yourself shedding this form. You know what your wolf looks like, bring her to life and allow her to rise above the surface,” he instructed, he tucked an errant hair behind her ear before stepping back and allowed her space.

Without breaking eye contact, she shifted her eyes, something she managed well. The golden hue lit up her face and Ben hummed in approval, he enjoyed what she presented, both of their eyes were rare gems, oddities even for wolves. There was no other like them, a matching pair, the crimson and golden symbolic of the alpha and omega.

Then she followed his lead, he raised his hand upwards and his nails extended, his digits lengthened. Of course, she had used this once before when she sliced their palms as a sacrifice to the moonstones. It was easy to reciprocate and only offered relief, her skin was no longer tight or confined and her body sighed in relief as she allowed her wolf to form.

Ben shifted fully then, his pale, expansive body erupted into a hulking mass of midnight black fur and a beautiful display of a heavily muscled torso and strong, limber limbs. His coat was thick and shiny, it gleamed under the moon. The sheer size of his frame was well over his human form’s proud, six foot three. From what he had divulged, he was the largest in the pack, far superior in strength and size and seeing him like that only strengthened her belief in him.

A majestic creature sat before her, his crimson orbs penetrated her soul as he waited for her patiently. The omega in her, her wolf, rejoiced. Her protector, her mate was the finest their kind could offer and he could shield her from all harm.

Spurred on by the image of him, she closed her eyes and inhaled. The creature within begged for release as she rocked on the balls of her feet. The reflection of what she had seen in the pond after her first shift was clear and so she fell to her hands and knees as her body contorted. Panting, she dug her nails into the soil, cementing her place there as her torso spasmed and she grunted, growling like the animal she was.

There was no pain, only sweet relief and an odd pressure as she shed her human form in its entirety. The alignment and expansion of her body was odd, something she was sure she would never come to understand but she welcomed it. She allowed the change to take her with the image of the ocean and island in her mind and the glow of the moon on her skin.

She rose from the earth a wolf and closed the distance between her alpha and her.

As an act of respect, she bowed her head, nudged it between his paws and waited for his response.

The admiration was rolling off him in waves; the pride over her successful and painless transformation was thick and heavy in his mind.

Then he moved.

The head he once held high, the regal air of it all as a symbol of his status, dipped and he stunned her, he bowed lower than even her, an alpha most subservient to an omega. Awaiting a signal, she huffed, moved by such a display and reversal of roles. The idea that an almighty alpha bowed to her was most telling of his love and respect for her. Alphas were leaders, the highest ranking and they bowed to few, no one other than their pack leader but here he was with head bowed low and chin tucked.

Rey nuzzled his face with her own and he moved.

The air was silent around them as they bathed in the light of his proclamation.

Rey was his equal.

 _“Catch me if you can,”_ Rey thought playfully and then she took off, bounding across the terrain with her new, agile limbs.

Ben snarled behind her, excited for the chase and thrilled by the hunt.

While he possessed longer limbs and speed, her lithe frame, far smaller than his own, allowed her to change direction with ease, slip between trees and escape him. They continued this way for a while, Rey gained distance from him at one point after she led him in the direction of thick brush and swerved left, he fell into the bush and rolled away from her.

It was thrilling, she was truly his prey and she could not wait for him to chase her down and find out the consequences of her teasing. From the sound of his thoughts, he planned to have her amongst the trees, the two would shift and he would pound her into the earth. His arousal was overwhelming, the hunt a splendid aphrodisiac.

She leapt across a small stream and drove up the incline, her body was a coil and she sprung in wonderful bouts and leaps. Ben was far behind; she could read his thoughts, his own pleasure had muddied his tracking of her and he could not wait to gain on her.

Rey rounded a bend and descended a hill; she took a sharp left and collided with a wolf, much larger than her own.

She gathered her wits and stood only for her heart to skip a beat.

In front of her stood the red haired beast.

There was no mistaking it was him.

This wolf had attacked her and nearly succeeded in killing her.

Overcome with rage, she leapt forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> UMMMM
> 
> Stuff is about to go down...
> 
> Sorry for the delay, spur me on so I can get back into shape and make my usual Thursday update day? If I miss it, be assured it will be up as fast as I write it.
> 
> As always, please leave your thoughts/feelings in the comments.
> 
> Quoting your favourite lines/quotes is better than extra kudos.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who supports me, I appreciate you all <3


	15. Redemption

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey battles Hux in revenge for his attack against her.
> 
> Rey's dreams/nightmares take on a deadly subject matter as she suspects there is truth in them.
> 
> Snoke surprises Rey.

Time slowed until it reached the most agonising of standstills.

It was a loathsome and undesirable reunion of two adversaries.

While the playing field had once been copiously adventitious to only one party during their last encounter, it was now level.

They were evenly matched, equal opponents in most areas but Rey adopted the role of a most vicious aggressor, rightfully scorned, her scars blazed in recognition of her foe and they rallied her on.

Incensed and with nothing but pure, fiery rage in her heart, her wolf roared indignantly, snarling vehemently as she leapt forward and advanced upon the red haired beast.

As her body flew through the air, a bombardment of vivid and abhorrent images of her attack flooded her mind. His claws were the focal point, she watched on again as as they struck her, shred into her skin and spilled vermillion from her flesh and and to the ground below.

Then she saw herself as she had collapsed in the bathtub as she looked on at her ghastly reflection, half-dead and bleeding out.

 _“You’re a shit Kenobi,”_ she had said.

Not anymore.

Visceral rage flooded her veins and mind; it was white hot and there was no room for comprehension or sensible thought. This was the beast that had been the cause of her suffering and who had reduced her to a shadow of herself. For that, she would return the courtesy, a mirror image of the treatment he had bestowed upon her.

She wanted to hurt him, badly.

The need to scar him for the rest of his life was all consuming, all compassion and rationality was lost to her, it could not wet the flames.

Why should he not bear his share of scars when she wore the imprints of his claws and carried the remnants of that night in every thought?

There was no excusing or forgiving his torment.

All reason was lost to the night and with a gnashing of her teeth, she landed, the earth moved below her.

The red haired beast seemed expectant of her attack and had moved, meaning she had missed her target but she rounded upon him, revealing her sharp, deadly teeth.

This time the bout was an even mix of strengths, she would not need to run for her life, instead her wolf shone and was a worthy match, a proper contender in the fight.

Like the almightiest of smiters, she would rain down on him for his sinful deed, her judgment resolute. From him, she sought blood in return and she would collect it in its abundance.

He was the devil who had stripped of her more than blood, he had nearly corrupted her soul, torn it two and scattered all she was.

With a wrath she never thought possible of herself; her mind clouded and erupted in a haze of hot fury. It brewed inside her, simmered underneath her fur and begged for release. She huffed out hard, the itch to strike was tempting, the most alluring of visions and it tormented her with every second that passed and her claws were not upon him.

The two circled one another, heckles raised and eyes narrowed. Rey growled from deep within her chest despite the size difference between the two.

Physically, the odds were not in her favour but her spirit, her fight, it soared upwards to the moon and back, it was taller than him, better than anything he could possess in his cowardly frame.

The red wolf dwarfed in comparison to Ben but still, he was far larger than her own was but it did not deter her, she was ready to rise to the challenge and conquer her tormentor. The prize would be her standing over his fallen body, his blood spilled as he had strewn hers.

Although she was very new to the explorations of her new body, each movement was fluid and precise as her wolf was an extension of herself.

The red haired wolf tilted his head upwards for a moment and Rey saw the opportunity of it all. Poised, she lunged forwards, teeth at the ready and snagged him, dragging her canines through his fur, but not quite breaking the skin. Now, she knew the pressure needed to slice through him and it was a deadly realisation.

Still, he howled, it reverberated through the trees and onwards, sinking to the lake and sky above, his cries were fuel for her.

Both of them rolled to the ground, a crude symphony of growls and snarls filled the nighttime air as Rey swiped at his broad middle. Her claws sliced through fur and flesh with ease, a puddle of burgundy crowned his chest and her paws.

Yes.

This was penance.

This was her pound of flesh but he had not delivered the full amount, she was hungry for more.

Absolution was not an option for her, she was too far-gone, but it was a savage and satisfying form of retribution. On top of him, she was no longer the woman who had shrieked, almost drained of life. Above him, she was the creature that would haunt his mind and stain his skin and she was the most graceful of apex predators.

Then, he had shown her no mercy.

Reciprocation was her gift to him.

Desperate now, the red haired wolf tore a trail from her shoulder downwards and she keeled over, whining as any wounded creature would.

More blood was shed by the beast, an offering to the soil beneath but she was no willing victim.

The pain only fuelled her, there was a numbness to it and she was certain that she would feel the full weight of it later, long after she healed, his marks nothing but ghosts against her golden skin.

Instead of retreating, the safest option for her as she could tend her wounds, she stood tall and made chase of the red haired beast who has chosen the option of flight.

Sensing Ben’s presence, she hurried on, pushing her legs harder than she had ever done before.

There was no doubt that he would end her chase, kill her chance of inflicting pain on the one who had hurt her the most.

Finally, she pounced, mounted the red beast, and clamped down on his shoulder, tearing the flesh there, she sunk her teeth in as far as she could and shook, hard.

The beast snarled like a creature at death’s door, his growls the most harrowing of death rattles.

Then he roared, his jaw extended wide and a booming wail left him, his breath was hot against her nose.

They both fell to the leaves once again, soaked with both of their essences. Rey spat out what remained of him from her mouth and reared her paw upwards, prepared to bring down the full extent of her wrath on him.

The first slash was deep; it sliced through muscle, all the way to the bone. As she moved to strike again, she became aware that Ben had caught up the two. Like prickly heat, it danced up her spine as she felt his eyes on her. Unashamed, she met them.

She narrowed her eyes at him, a challenge and glared down once again at the wolf who had incited such a reaction.

Already, he was healing and she cursed the moon above for such power, she dragged her nails down his middle again, she was liberal with her strikes. She lavished him in her markings

“Rey!” Ben called out but there was no saving her, there was no coaxing her back from the brink, the void had swallowed her whole and sunk its tendrils into her.

Surprisingly, the red haired beast managed to kick her with his hind leg, the giant limb made contact with her ribs, crushing them.

It was enough for her to lose top position, winded and breathless, she fell. Startled, she lumbered upwards, only to fall, her ribs ached in protest.

Ben’s wolf leapt between the two, he growled menacingly at the red wolf who was much more concerned with tending to his own injuries.

Ben snarled and stalked above the red beast, his body was shaking with a ferocity she had never seen before.

Still, Rey fought on, her pursuit of the wolf knew no end, not while he breathed, not while he lived, unbothered and certain of his safety.

While Ben stared down the red beast into submission, she leapt over her mate, using his back for momentum, only to be speared to the ground; another wolf had joined the battle.

The wolf was large, a yellow sort of blonde which Rey immediately bloodied, biting into the long leg that caged her, it huffed.

Ben, having moved from the red haired beast, shifted, a mass of fur disappeared and his human form took his place.

He was no less intimidating, in fact, seeing his features so animalistic in his human form was unsettling.

Surrounded by three wolves, he towered, his stature demanded respect and attention but his eyes, they were wildfire, crimson flames in the dark, he was a menace, shadows darkened his face.

His voice was cold, booming and left no room for argument.

“Phasma, stand down. Shift, now!”

It was an alpha command.

Though the woman struggled, she was no match for the power of his words. It was a form of gleeful satisfaction to Rey.

Rey waited, watching as the wolf begrudgingly changed positions. In the blink of an eye, a woman took its place.

Her heart sunk as she came face to face with the woman who had perhaps orchestrated all of this. It was the woman from the woods, the one who had lured Rey in with her scream.

It was the one who had appeared at the office and pretended she did not know of her and the sacrifice Rey had paid in her efforts to save her.

“Shift, Rey.” Ben commanded, she watched him build and strengthen his words with every slither of power inside of him but Rey resisted.

It was no easy feat.

Over the week, she had transitioned more and touched her submissiveness, but she could not obey him, not now.

She shook her head, no.

Ben’s eyes widened, his mouth gaped as he looked between her and the red head.

“She resisted you,” Phasma breathed out, the disbelief in her tone and features, she shook her head and gawked at Rey once more.

There was no mistaking the curiosity or silent wonder that radiated from the woman, she quirked her brow at her, breathing hard before returning her focus back to Ben.

Ben clenched his fists by his sides; Rey felt his humiliation at her exposing his weakness of his lack of command over her. While he asked for order, she went against him but this was something she could not agree to.

Shaking his head once at her, he peered at the beast and pointed in his direction, the veins in his forearm bulged.

“Hux, shift.”

Rey staggered back, stunned as she looked upon the beast. Despite his initial efforts, he managed to transform and in his wake, lay Hux, bloodied, bruised and healing.

It was Hux.

Hux had been the one to attack her.

Growling and overwhelmed with the truth, she shifted and ran towards the man.

This was no stranger and yet he had callously tore her down as if she was nothing to him and she would not tolerate such an insult.

Despite her body and its pain, she smashed into him, colliding for the final time as he groaned, the air knocked out of his shredded chest.

This time, her weapons were well honed and familiar to her, they were trusted pieces that demanded justice.

Rey pummelled him with her fists, swinging wildly, shrieking like a banshee as her knuckles connected with the finer bones in his face. After a few well aimed knocks, his nose and cheekbone shattered below them and his lip burst, a stream of blood splattered her face.

It was her warpaint.

“You did this to me! You nearly killed me,” she wailed in between punches, the grief pooled deep from within her heart, she was hysterical, a wild woman absolved in a manic frenzy that knew no end.

Hux laughed.

He laughed at her and taunted her with his teeth glazed red, his eyes black and swollen tightly shut; he was a bloody mosaic that she painted.

“I would have done the same thing all over again. I should have put you out of your misery, you little savage,” he chuckled, his voice wheezy and strained.

That was it, she retracted her claws and whipped through the air, aiming for his neck, a death blow but Ben caught her wrist and squeezed hard, disabling her.

With one rough tug, he yanked her off of Hux and pulled her to him.

Incensed, she fought against his iron hold; they stumbled around until she was beneath him. She resisted, scuffled with him like a caged animal as in some regards, she was exactly like that.

To sway him, she begged him to release her to allow her justice but he was unmoving.

“Stop fighting me, Rey!” Ben roared.

She quieted then and cautiously observed him as she exhaled, he seethed above her and in that moment, he was nothing but a magnificent exhibit to her, she was enlightened to the potential of his own emotions and instincts. Ben was an alpha, through and through. Like her, more than just a true heart ruled him.

Ben had never lost his temper in her presence before, rarely raising his voice and now he had exploded and scolded her but she was not frightened or unappreciative, she was most curious and shamefully pleased by his display of dominance.

For a tense moment, the two stared each other down but ultimately, it was Ben who emerged the victor as Rey blinked and calmed, a docile omega below her alpha.

The fire ebbed from her veins and she lost the will to fight, the night had tested her mind and body in ways unseen and foreign to her.

Ben’s head snapped in Hux’s direction, the muscles in his neck taut and strained against his skin. A low growl rumbled from his chest, it was a warning but for who, Rey did not know but she considered it and remained still.

“If you ever speak to her like that or touch her again, I will kill you.”

Hux stood, wincing as he palmed his chest, the wounds still fresh but not as deep as they were before. Phasma was at his side, aiding him.

“She has blinded you. She is not one of us; she does not know our ways. She is unbalanced and unpredictable and it will be our downfall!” Hux spat, painting the ground red with his coppery splatter.

A breeze picked up, wafting the ghastly mementos of blood soaked leaves upwards. The night air chilled drastically alongside his words and swept the four up in a cold front, a fitting setting for what had arisen.

While Rey had heeded Ben’s warning, Hux did not. Such a move was an insult, spitting before an alpha and heir to the pack. Ben’s knuckles cracked as he glared venomously to his side, his self-control although lacking, powered on.

Rey lay panting, feeling every bit unbalanced as Hux described but she was willing to suffer the consequences of her deed.

She wanted to hurt him more but she had surely scarred him and for now, that was enough, it had to be. She was more than just an animal who was ruled by basic instincts and it was a harsh reminder. Human beings could not act so viciously, despite how much they wanted to.

Ben’s face was pure thunder, his eyes murderous as he stood. His jaw was taut and his mammoth body coiled, ready for what was to come. Unclenching his fists, he stalked toward Hux and Phasma.

Rey did not dare breathe or move, cemented to the earth below her; she looked on, a most wary of spectators observing a man, a creature, who was strung too tight.

“She is your pack heir and you will respect that. It is taking everything in me not to rip your heart out for touching my mate,” Ben growled lowly, stopping when he had come within touching distance of Hux.

For a while, all was silent. Hux spied a glance at Rey, his pale skin flushed a brilliant scarlet red, bruised but still he healed, his eyes were no longer swollen shot and Rey felt the fire of those sapphires as they cracked before her.

“Then I am done. I am leaving this pack,” Hux retorted, stepping forward, it was another challenge, a brutal act of defiance.

The two men stood, their shoulders heaved upwards in accord with one another.

Rey sat up then, knowing the full weight of his words. She had learned that Ben’s parents had raised Hux; he was a brother in all respects but blood.

Ben’s façade of rage, the calm before the storm shattered as he staggered backwards, eyes blown as he raked a hand through his hair.

“You don’t mean that,” he whispered reverently and Rey felt the full weight of his grief, his confusion and anger.

“I do. I will not bear witness to her bringing about the fall of this pack. Phasma will be coming with me,” Hux sniped back, taking Phasma’s hand in his and then he leaned into her.

Ben shifted his attention to the tall woman, she was unable to meet his gaze and instead peered down at the ground, her eyes were shifty and wet.

“Fine, go,” Ben said and pointed to the trees, there was no venom in his voice, just acceptance.

“You aren’t going to ask me to stay; you aren’t going to ask your brother-”

“-you lost that title the second you attacked her that night, you have belittled her for weeks despite you knowing how much I have loved her, she is my mate and she is my priority. Now, go,” Ben said lifelessly, already moving from the pair, shaking his head.

“Ben-” Hux tried, stepping forward once again.

-“I said go!” Ben bellowed.

It was enough to wake the birds; a plume of them shot upwards, their flight overpowered the war of raging hearts.

Hux and Phasma exchanged a look, as if they were gathering their courage for some unspoken truce.

Rey wondered if Hux’s words had been a bluff, had they expected Ben to fall to his knees and beg them to stay?

It was a standoff but all would walk free, lighter from this night.

Rey’s heart raced as the three stood unwilling to move before finally, Hux glared at her one final time before he shifted, Phasma quickly followed and the two disappeared, bounding away into the shadows.

She rose from the ground as a warrior.

Her back was poised and straight, her chin held high as she skimmed her hand over the wounds, her torso was bloodied, her shoulder torn but nearly healed but she was bruised all over.

The pain was worth it.

She had avenged herself and came out stronger, more trusting and confident in herself and her abilities.

Surprisingly when Ben turned, there was no anger, only grief and concern for her, hugging her close he held her with a bruising grip but she felt no pain, not in the physical sense.

“Don’t do that again, I can’t lose you,” he pleaded, a prayer from an angel’s lips.

Rey only nodded, numbed from her experience.

She knew if Hux and her crossed paths again, that one would undoubtedly lose their life and whom that would be, she did not know.

* * *

Ben carried her through the woods, her head anchored against his chest and her limbs hung limply. She was so tired.

The aches of her wounds were dull but they irked her, exhausting her. They had all but healed. No traces of them remained except the dried blood upon her bare skin, burgundy kissed gold.

“I’ve got you,” Ben whispered as he ascended the stairs of the cabin.

She believed him but there was very little left in her to muster a reply. There was nothing left, all of her strength ebbed away from the ordeal of turning and then the fight.

Her mind was a tumultuous sea, the weight of the truth threatened to sink her and drag her to the dark depths she had thought she had long surfaced from. Hope and understanding were her only chances at survival.

Hux was the beast that had tormented her mind for weeks.

While the man meant very little to her, nothing more than a forward colleague, he was Ben’s brother and together, they had kept from the truth from her.

Now, that relationship was in ruin, years they had grown together, wasted and now it was fragmented, perhaps broken beyond repair.

A part of Rey rejoiced, as the man who caused her unimaginable pain would no longer torment her with his presence.

She would not have to live through the façade of him being alive and well, his very breaths sharing the same air as her; his words were her own kind of personal poison.

She worried for Ben. The idea of losing another sibling, Kaydel was taken and now Hux left. Could he cope with such heartache? How deep did the betrayal cut into his mighty mind? Was his heart close to stilling, fragmenting as his body and mind were pulled in all directions of who to stand by?

It was a test of loyalties and Ben had chosen Rey.

It was a loathsome affair; the bitter taste of Hux on her tongue was a reminder of what she had done.

There was little regret on her part, the coppery substance was earned but in her haze, she had failed to contemplate the consequences.

Faintly, she felt herself being lowered onto the bed before Ben disappeared into the bathroom, filling the tub in there.

Absentmindedly, she regarded herself, caked in mud and blood, she was quite a sight. Her hair hung limply below her waist, she thumbed the tendrils encased in muck, leaves and dried blood, smearing the remains between her fingertips. The stain was black against her skin.

Standing, she moved on wobbly limbs, like a lost child, she stepped across the room, in need of her mate. Ben reappeared as soon as she reached the door; his closeness brought her pure relief. It was the perfect balm for her conflicted mind.

“Here, let me help you,” Ben hushed; his concern for her rang loud and clear through his mind and body, his features contorted in worry and his mind despaired over how she was acting.

While her technique to protect herself was not faultless, it worked well enough for her. Instead of succumbing to the stress of what she had endured, she would retreat into herself and numb what she could.

Worrying Ben was the worst kind of collateral damage that she could have ever dreamed of inflicting, but for now, she coped the only way she knew.

Ben supported her as they made their way to the bathroom, the tub was filled, hot wisps of steam caressed the surface and upwards, the scent of lavender bath salts hung heavy in the small space.

The fragrance soothed her to some extent, her weary muscles cried out in relief. Using Ben for balance, she stepped into the water; it was piping hot, her preferable temperature. Peeking through her lashes, she observed Ben, forever grateful and in awe of his attention to detail in anything revolving her. There was next to nothing he did not know about her and there was something freeing about that, their souls entwined as one.

Sinking further into the tub, she rested her back against the curve and sighed. Gathering her knees tight against her chest, she placed her chin upon them, gazing vacantly at how the water transformed around her. Strings of coral red floated around the mists left by the bath salts, streaks of russet brown accompanied them too while clumps of leaves and dirt sat and danced upon the water’s surface.

Unsure of how long she stared at the array of colours and substances, Ben unleashed her from the trance.

“Don’t close yourself off from me, Rey. Let it all out,” he begged, resting his head on the side of the bath, his eyes blazed with heat similar to what surrounded her.

Eyeing him warily, she drew in a shaky breath but it hurt, everything hurt.

“I am scared if I let myself feel, I will break, I cannot revert back to the woman I was after the attack,” she choked out, the words were glass in her throat and tongue, they cut her from the inside out.

Such admittance only correlated the weakness she felt.

“You are not weak. Let me help carry your burdens,” he pleaded; his hand grasped the one tightly wound around her knees.

The man was selfless, an angel who walked amongst mortals, the moon his ruling god.

Swallowing hard, she bit back tears, fending off the hurt she felt with the fire within her. The strength of the formidable woman inside rose through the dark depths.

“Why didn’t you tell me Hux was the one who attacked me? I know he is your brother but he nearly killed me. I should have known sooner it was him but instead I was surprised and I nearly killed him,” she mumbled into her knees, avoiding Ben’s gaze.

There was so much she did not know.

Ben’s grip on her hand loosened slightly as he gathered his thoughts, they were loud, the images of Hux upon her, nearly killing her that night weeks ago, they were red and she withdrew from his mind.

Seeing herself in such a vulnerable state was sickening.

“I wanted to tell you, I didn’t know how. Hux has been difficult in matters relating to you. I have had my suspicions about him too, relating to the disappearances so I was distracted. Please, forgive me.”

Rey’s eyes wandered over to his, his hair had fallen over his eyes but she could see them, she could find them in a crowded room or bountiful sky of stars.

There was nothing to forgive.

It was her own lack of control that scorned her. Such violence and anger had never played a part in her life, and now, it was nearly all she knew.

Hux had called her a savage and she named him the beast.

Perhaps they had both earned their names.

“Ben, there is nothing to be sorry about. I just needed to know your reasoning. I want to have complete trust in you and I know you might want to keep things from me in an effort to protect me. But, I only want your honesty.”

“I can do that,” he assured her; he gathered up some rose scented soap and a washcloth, lathering it.

“You suspect Hux?” Rey questioned as he cleaned her, rubbing cleansing circles on her back.

Ben sighed, his movements stilling for a moment,

“There have been things that have raised suspicion. We were all raised as siblings, Kaydel, Hux and me and the very idea that he could have betrayed us is...”

Rey awaited for the completion of his sentence but it never came.

There were no words to express such an agony, she had thought similar of her grandfather for keeping the truth of her heritage from her.

She sympathised for him but it only fuelled her hatred for the man, if he had hurt Ben in such a way, she would end him.

“Whatever happens, we will face it together,” she offered, Ben’s eyes flickered to hers as he stood and stepped into the tub, settling behind her.

“Always,” he said his voice full of conviction.

Together they sat like this, both deep in thought.

Rey felt less broken, his body anchored her.

Ben cleaned her hair of all waste and debris, his hands nimble in their work, he moved onto the rest of her body until she was free of all remnants of the attack, her skin bared no outwardly signs that anything had occurred.

Neither moved until the water chilled, Ben carried her into the bedroom as exhaustion pummelled them both and depleted their energy into nothing.

“I love you,” she whispered.

“I love you,” Ben confessed as he wrapped his arms around her middle.

With no space between them, the pair became one.

* * *

_She knew that this was a dream._

_There was darkness, barely a shred of light filled whatever prison that contained her._

_Looking around, she saw the outline of a figure; they were too encompassed by shadows for any familiarity to shine through._

_Still, she rushed forward, hopeful it was Ben but what awaited her was not her saviour, her mate and lover._

_No, there was no light there and his would have shone through even the darkest plumes of the void._

_Steel scraped her ribs; a blade penetrated her skin with ease and carved a wicked path, obliterating her insides._

_She dropped to her knees, stunned, palming the wound as blood flew through her fingers. Vermillion tears drenched the virgin white of her shirt, flooding it in a growing and most angry of blossoms._

_“Now, that is what I call redemption.”_

_She screamed for Ben._

* * *

Rey woke screaming; Ben’s name the subject of her shrieks, a hoarse wail from a raw throat. Dazed, she scanned the darkness, fearful that she was still in that place, the nightmare where she had foreseen a vicious blow that threatened her life, whether it was fatal or not, she had not foreseen.

Was someone lying in wait, ready to pounce and steal her life with a meeting of metal, flesh and bones?

Hyperventilating, she sucked in lungful’s of air; it was defunct and heavy, she could not breathe, her chest did not rise. The expanse of her middle was tight, burning and in demand of air.

Blinking hard, woozy, she realised Ben was straddling her hips, his hands firmly planted on her shoulders; he shook her, hard, his fingers curled almost painfully into her skin.

There was desperation there, his eyes wild, his tendrils dishevelled and strewn, some strands lay plastered to his forehead, soaked in perspiration.

“You’re okay, I am here. Breathe, Rey!” Ben beseeched, the alpha command pulsed through her and she did, breathing harshly through her gaping mouth despite her body’s protests.

There was a sigh, Ben’s relief instantaneous.

Was everything okay though?

Frantically, she patted her middle, trailing her fingers along her ribcage but she found no malignant or incurable laceration that would end her life. No blood stained her nails and no blade protruded from her delicate flesh.

Instead, Ben smoothed his shaking hands over the length of her body, a quiet reassurance as his fingers dipped along her ribcage and then he moved, no longer caging him below her. Gathering her in his arms, he rolled, draping her over his torso. She was panting, trying to catch her breath and succeeding, encouraged by Ben’s warmth and reassurances.

Still, she peered around the room, the glow of the full moon the only source of light as it spilled through the window.

There was no figure and no eerie gleam of a blade.

“It was just a nightmare, nothing like that will ever happen to you, not while I breathe,” his voice was resolute, his motivation to secure her from harm was potent and resilient. The conviction behind his words was hearty and true.

There was no room for doubt.

Ben Solo would protect her, act as her chosen champion who would fight until the death to ensure her safety. His dying breath would act as the only sign of her vulnerability and mark the beginning of her exposure, signalling the danger that awaited her in the shadows.

“You saw my dream?” The notion that he could wade into her mind with ease was dizzying but reassuring. In her darkest hour, she was never alone; he saw all and personified the role of the light at the end of the tunnel, the end to her anguish.

Like a beacon, he called her to him.

Grasping his bicep, she nestled against the smooth plains of his expansive chest, his heart acted as her constant, something to focus on as it thumped a steady lullaby for her.

Smoothing her hair, he carded his fingers through her locks and hummed, evidently deep in thought.

“Yes. I had to breach your mind; you were screaming…you were screaming like you were dying, I had to know,” he confided, his voice was little more than a whisper and he choked in the middle, swallowing hard.

“I was.”

It was a weighty proclamation and it moved them both into silence.

They had both seen her fall, her descent downwards was disconcerting, heart wrenching as she tried futilely to stave the bleeding without success.

There would be no more sleep for them that night.

“You’ll be okay,” Ben said, sounding so sure of his words despite all he had witnessed.

“I know.”

Rey did not share his certainty, there was very little truth in her words but still she clung to him and followed his lead, she adopted his positivity and drew from his strength and confidence.

One thing was for certain, she needed to know more about the dreams, the sights that haunted her sleep and filled her waking hours with uncertainty.

They appeared as if they were more than just meaningless tales to occupy her sleeping mind; they seemed like visions of events to come. She felt the legitimacy of them in her heart, the gospel of their prophecies were true, tried and shook her right down to her bones.

If there was any truth in them, she was not going down without a mighty fight.

* * *

The return to the office a few days following the confrontation with Hux was a welcome and desired distraction. It was a diversion and Rey found herself lost in her work, buried under reports or coming and going around the design floor.

While she filled the position of Ben’s personal assistant, she had graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and longed to participate in the hands on activity that occurred on the lower floors. The company produced a great number of products but Rey found strength in anything involved with motor vehicles.

In her absence, they had acquired a contract with a car company oversees so the design and production floors were bustling with activity. There, Rey blended in with ease, content with her slither of anonymity and the time consuming nature of it all.

Making herself too busy to think meant she made herself scarce from Ben, as their floor was too quiet. Surprisingly, when she had asked him his thoughts about her spending time on the lower floors, he had promptly accepted her reasoning and suggestion.

Perhaps he had sensed her need to reflect upon what had transpired. There was only so much thought provoking tasks he could offer to his assistant to occupy her mind.

Rey could not forgive Hux’s part in her story.

Since her discovery of what he was, Ben had unashamedly owned up to his part in the attack. It was redemption he sought from Rey but in her eyes, she knew he had only leapt in to protect her and his bite had been a most unfortunate accident. It was an accident she admittedly found solace in, for without it, the knowledge of her true heritage and potential in her would have been lost alongside her life. The leaves had been soaked with her blood and without him; the soil beneath them would have taken her too, acting as a crude final resting place.

Things were tense, they were both sleep deprived and she wanted to pull away, to allow him sleep peacefully but he was there, always, wordlessly he comforted her. By allowing her this freedom to move freely at work, she knew he was offering her an olive branch, a show of his complete trust in her. It touched her and melted the coldness that had enveloped her since her bloody rage below the moon.

She was different but still very much the same.

There was a power and a direction in her steps, she moved with confidence, assured of her ability to defend herself, at least in a physical regard. Mentally, she was spent, her fortress a ruin in the dirt and she knew it would take time to construct and fortify it again but there was a sense of dread that accompanied that.

Did she have time? Were her dreams destined to become her reality?

Reverting to the woman she was after the attack was not an option so she closed in on herself, not willing to burden Ben with her thoughts even though he had begged it of her. It meant that things were quiet between the two but loving all the same, he did not press her for more than she was willing to give.

It was half past eleven and her appointment with Dr Snoke was scheduled for noon. More than ever, she required his professional counsel but there was more than that, it was personal.

Not only had he been a friend of her grandfather’s, grown with him, he was her mother’s godfather and she yearned to know more of the woman who had been stolen from her. Would he share more tales with her? Divulge little treasures about both her mother and father?

It was something she would pursue.

Ascending in the elevator, she counted the seconds until the doors opened with a sharp ping. Walking with a purpose, she quickly strode to her office, mindful to keep her eyes off Ben.

She did not want to disturb him with her presence despite every part of her screaming and aching for his touch or whispered assurances. Eyeing the metallic clock on her desk, she scooped up her purse and shouldered it then left her office, closing the door quietly behind her.

Turning, she gasped as she walked straight into Ben. As always, he was there to catch her, he steadied her and held her hand.

Swallowing hard, she peered up at him, like her, he had slept very little. Her nightmares had kept the both of them awake and Ben refused to leave her side, cradling her sweat-ridden body close to his as she panicked.

Gently, she brushed her thumb under his eye and sighed, the darkness that stained there contrasted with the paleness of his skin. He was exhausted. With her other hand, she placed it flat upon his chest, right above his heart. While alphas were known for their fierce protectiveness and the devoted nurturing of their mates, it was said that omegas were otherworldly in their talent to sooth and calm even the most violent of alphas.

Ben closed his eyes for a moment, his shoulders dropped as he heaved out a sigh of his own. There was no doubt he was suffering, torn between accepting her desire to reflect and heal alone and forcing himself on her.

“I am sorry I worried you,” she murmured softly, her hand drifted downwards and she paused when her fingertips trailed along the side of his mouth.

Ben’s features crumpled and his hands found her waist, he held on as if she was going to disappear or fall through his fingers, she was the sand and him the unlucky hourglass.

When he opened his eyes, they were shiny and telling, so much like his mother’s. While his mother was broken, her spirit split to the bone, Ben was flailing, fearful that he was going to lose Rey in another capacity. She was there physically but mentally, she was withdrawn.

What he had seen, the image of her fighting and risking her life against Hux was enough to shake him. Then her fatal encounter in her dreams had worried him senseless. He opened his mind to her and she saw it all.

Alphas were not fearful beings, their courage and strength knew no end but seeing Rey locked in battle with Hux had stopped his heart.

“I cannot lose you,” he whispered, below her palm, his heart beat a heavy tune. It beat for her and without her, there was no doubt it would cease all movement.

They could not live without each other.

“I’m here, I’m not going anywhere. Do you hear that, Ben Solo?” Rey asked, firmly cupping his jaw, ensuring he knew of her tenacity and the fiery spirit within her that refused extinction.

They locked eyes,

“Yes.”

It was odd to see him so utterly vulnerable, she was his weakness and it had waned him of almost all of his strength but it would give her strength, she would build him up to his former glory.

“I have to go to therapy but tonight, how about I make us a nice dinner? I will go straight to the cabin from my appointment so I can set things up,” she suggested, she would make him dinner, bathe him and allow him an early night. She would stay up if it meant he could sleep.

“Are you sure you don’t need me to go with you? We still have to remain vigilant while Jessika and Kaydel are missing,” Ben pondered, biting his lip, neither fared well with separation.

No, he most definitely did not like the idea of Rey spending anytime away from him, not while a threat remained. She saw that but she was confident in her safety or ability to hone her new skills to her advantage.

“I will go straight from my appointment to the cabin. You know it is the safest place for me,” she offered in return.

The moonstones offered the greatest protection of all and not even Ben could fight that logic.

Ben relented.

“Okay but I want you to text me as much as you can. Then if you think you have texted too much, text one more time,” a small grin graced his face and Rey smiled in return.

They were going to get through this.

“Of course, Mr Solo,” she winked.

They shared a kiss, a soft one, two lovers taking their time with each other.

Pulling back, she sighed, eyeing the time once more.

“I will see you later,” she assured him and for a moment, she was unsure if he was going to release his hold on.

But he did.

There was hesitation there but he played his part well, his features calm and collected despite the storm of trepidation in his mind that told him to keep her in his presence.

She sympathised with him. His instincts were seemingly all powerful, much more potent than her own were. That did not mean she was free of suffering, she was drawn to him and leaving him behind was as if she had left a part of herself with him and she did, her heart forever his.

Therapy was something she needed to tackle on her own, it was her demons she would chase and face down but she knew outside of Dr Snoke’s office; Ben would be there to keep her together.

As the elevator doors began to close, Rey called to his mind.

“I love you.”

“Be safe,” was his response.

* * *

The drive to Dr Snoke’s office was less daunting this time.

Back behind the wheel of her beloved beetle, she felt more like herself. While she loved the speed that came with Ben’s Mercedes, the beetle was a friend of hers, a constant that had accompanied her through life.

Old Ben had bought in back in the sixties; it was sea blue with a cream interior, a pretty contrast.

The August heat was comforting.

With less humidity in the air, it was bearable and more like an inspiriting caress.

Parking, she gazed upwards at the glassy building, it was a robust and gleaming giant that stood tall and alone. It reflected all light but still, it was a shadowy figure, devoid of life and lacking the glow of the sun.

The architecture was most curious and Rey wondered once again why Dr Snoke had chosen such a barren, unwelcoming building as a place of healing.

Shaking her head, she followed the route she had taken weeks before until she reached the waiting room.

Bazine welcomed her once again, her sharp bob swung as she swivelled to face her.

The woman’s sharp features were a striking contrast to the smile she offered. Her lips were stretched too wide, coloured a rich cherry red that clashed with her chartreuse eyes, two narrow slits in vibrant, olive skin.

The falseness of it all, the lack of genuineness still unnerved Rey and for once, she found herself reaching out into the woman’s mind.

Mindreading was still a talent that baffled Rey, it was an alpha skill and Ben’s mind was the only one she wanted to read but all were open to her with some concentrated effort.

For a brief moment, she breached Bazine’s consciousness; an array of faces filled her thoughts and no more shone quite like Dr Snoke. She was enamoured by him and the power he possessed but before she could dig further, the woman narrowed her eyes and Rey found she could not delve any deeper.

Taken a back, she observed the woman who had gritted her teeth.

“Mr Snoke will see you now, Reyna,” Bazine quipped, her nostrils flared a fraction.

No longer, did she wear that fake mask of nicety and Rey admired that. It was more in tune with what her instincts had told her since the first time she laid eyes on the woman. It did however raise more questions but it would wait for another time.

Approaching the crimson doors, it much the same as the first time. She had seen them before, in a nightmare, in a dream.

This time, Ben was not there calling for her to turn, at least not literally, but she could not ignore the shiver that raced down her spine or the goosebumps that pebbled her skin.

Peering over her shoulder, she observed the waiting room once more and found no reason not to proceed. As she averted her gaze forward and palmed the onyx handle, a cusp of a whisper dazed her but she moved onwards, opening the door.

“Reyna, it is wonderful to see you, dear child,” Alistair Snoke rose and crossed the room, opening his arms in greeting.

Upon seeing him, the boy she had seen grow into a man alongside her grandfather throughout the photo album, she calmed and offered him a smile.

“Thank you for seeing me again,” Rey added as the doctor walked her to her seat. She sat back, thumbing the vermillion leather.

Although the man appeared frail, tall but with very little to him, he moved with an air of confidence befitting of a man of leadership or power. She reflected upon what she had seen in Bazine’s mind and pondered if there was more to the man who sat across from her.

Once again, she was drawn to the scar that marred his head, it nearly bisected his forehead, it was contorted and riddled deep with scar tissue.

What had happened to him?

Sitting back, Dr Snoke smiled at her, his thin lips curving into an intriguing smile. The blue of his eyes, a cerulean mist amongst pasty white skin, was telling.

Leaning forward across the rich mahogany of his desk, Snoke settled on his elbows and tilted his head.

“Now, tell me, child, how was your first full moon as a wolf?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still with me?


	16. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Snoke's sly manipulation of Rey begins and she is left questioning the truth surrounding the pack

For a fleeting moment, Rey was certain she had misheard the doctor. There was a ringing in her ears that pierced her senses and deafened her; it shut her off from the world around her.

It was as if she was suspended underwater, there she was a silent drowner, defenceless and incapable of movement. All was murky and quiet; sound was warped, while her reactions were sluggish and inactive, almost lifeless.

All she could see was the man in front of her, it was tunnel vision but she was acutely aware that there was no beam of light in his words; they only brought a flash of hot fear and the looming threat of exposure.

The very idea of that risk brought her to the surface, flailing, but undoubtedly fighting for control over her body once more.

Grounding herself, she dug her fingernails into the rich, vermillion leather and anchored there, it prevented her from keeling over from the shock of his words. He knew the truth but had confronted her in such a fashion that stunned her, the utter casualness of it all was bizarre and unanticipated.

In her chest, her heart hammered a bludgeoning tune; it reached a fever pitch that showed no signs of cooling.

Rey blinked once and gaped at Snoke, who waited expectantly for her response, his misty eyes bored into hers, they penetrated all of her defences and her very soul. Grinning, he flashed a slither of teeth as he leaned back into his seat and rested his hands atop his lap, smoothing the material of his dress trousers.

More than once, she opened her mouth to reply but no words found their way out, none were articulated or formed. Rendered speechless, she cleared her throat and eyed the desk between them, unsure of how to approach such a delicate matter. Dr Snoke rolled a crimson fountain pen between his forefinger and thumb but ignored the pad of paper in front of him.

“Don’t worry, Reyna, you’re in the presence of a friend. I am much like yourself, young one,” Snoke assured her gently.

Relaxing his shoulders, he reclined into the curve of the high backed chair, coloured onyx black, it creaked.

That broke her stupor, she surfaced and all was right again, the ringing in her ears silenced and all that remained was the steady tick of the grandfather clock in the corner of the room.

It went on, reliably.

“You’re like me?” She asked, raising her chin, levelling her gaze upon him.

Naturally, she was suspicious; life had taught her that sentiment and it suited her well.

Snoke’s grin grew wider; it was a chasm in his pale, gaunt face and seemed hardly suiting of the man.

“I am. Like your grandfather and mother before you, we are the same. Although, I was lucky enough to grow up alongside your grandfather, we grew up with the knowledge of what we were. The same can’t be said about you, dear child.”

Once again, the reminder of how her grandfather had kept the truth from her reared its ugly head. It stung deep, hurt her beyond comprehension and made her question all she thought she knew.

She leaned forward, bent at the middle and exhaled hard as a rush of nausea trickled into her being; insecurity and doubt splintered her psyche. Fisting her hair, she perched her elbows on her knees and tried to soothe herself.

Never before had she desired Ben and his calming presence so desperately. Sucking in deep lungfuls of air, she panicked and thought of her grandfather who had left her alone in the word without his knowledge or expertise that he could have instilled within her.

The nightmares weighed heavily on her because despite the lack of evidence, she knew her day of reckoning was fast upon her and she felt woefully unprepared.

Snoke rounded his desk and cautiously approached her shaking form as she struggled to breathe. It was all too much.

“Breathe, child. You are no longer alone in this world. I can’t speak for your grandfather but you can ask me anything,” he assured her as he rubbed gentle circles in her back.

They were cold and nothing like the heat Ben’s hands offered but it was enough to offer some resemblance of comfort. If only Ben was there, he could guide her through it all.

Together they could walk through the fire of hell together if the situation called for it, only together they could achieve such a feat, never alone, two halves of a single soul.

While she did not rely solely on him for strength, his presence was a source of motivation for her to rise up from the darkness that plagued her mind at the most inconvenient times.

Not only was Ben her mate and lover, he was someone she admired for his ability to cope with whatever life threw his way. It was something to strive towards.

“Here, these will help you,” Dr Snoke said and dropped two blue pills into her palm.

She did not have to question him, she was aware that they were valium. She recognised the pills, they were identical to the ones Dr Mitaka prescribed her but they lay mostly untouched at the bottom of her bag.

Wary, but in desperate need of relief, she rejected them and instead accepted the water the doctor offered alongside them. Draining the glass, she sat upright and waited for her heart to steady.

It was a start, she was ready to reign herself in and drown her demons.

Handing him back the pills, she offered the reason for her declination.

“I am driving after this, I can’t take the pills but I have some in my purse.”

She did not mention that she had never taken one despite the plethora of panic attacks she had suffered through; perhaps it was something to consider, there was no shame in using medication to aid her through her troubles.

The doctor nodded, scrutinising her as he hovered beside her before retaking his place on his plush, cushioned seat.

“I’m sorry; things have been difficult as of late. Between the turning and recent events, I am struggling,” she admitted.

Admitting such weakness was unheard of to Rey. Growing up, Old Ben had been a pinnacle of strength and even in his shadow, Rey shone with an enduring brilliance. For so long, he had been her source of power or belief in herself and she missed him terribly.

If she were ever to see him again, she would hug him and never let him go. Then, she would beg him to share his view of their kind and why he kept their existence from her. All she wanted to know was his reasoning; there was no resentment, only confusion and a curiosity that would know no end.

For Old Ben was gone, his ashes were spread in the lake beside the cabin, he had flown upwards in a final ascent with the summer breeze and he was lost to her. There was nothing left to cling to except the place he held in her heart.

“There is nothing to apologise for, Reyna. You have experienced a great deal of change, you lost your grandfather and now you have become what he had so tirelessly tried to prevent.”

Rey’s skin prickled with unease, her heart plummeted into her stomach as his words sunk into her consciousness. The man was aware of the most intricate details of her life while she was still not fully familiar with such things.

Snoke knew of what her grandfather had put her through, the borderline torturous injections that kept her wolf at bay.

Again, she was the one in the dark with next to no knowledge despite her being the centre character in most of the tales.

“You knew he prevented me from turning naturally into a wolf?” Her tone was sharp and biting like a woman scorned and she was but she was careful not to push him away with her anger.

Dr Snoke sighed, opening the drawer to his left. He rummaged for a second and then pulled out a small metal box. Before placing it on the desk, he shot her an apprehensive look as if he was determining whether it was the right course of action.

The box was familiar, eerily similar to the ones that sat in abundance at the bottom of the trunk her grandfather had hidden.

In the end, he proceeded as planned.

With a quick click of the lock and a nip of his bottom lip, Snoke opened it and revealed the needles nestled within. They were filled with the same brown liquid mingled with swirls of indigo and violet, just like the ones back at the cabin.

Now that she knew the scent of Wolfsbane, there was no forgetting it. The urge to flee or hurl it far from her was overwhelming like a manic compulsion but she remained rooted to her seat and faced the hellish concoctions that could bring the most strongest of their kind to their knees.

The convulsions and path of fire it carved inside of her was something she would likely never repress again.

It tainted her, branding her mind and soul until the mere sight of it left nothing but the taste of ash in her mouth.

Instinctively, she sat back, bringing distance between the poison and herself as she recalled the agony, the toxicity of its power.

“I don’t understand.”

It was not a lie.

Rey yearned complete understanding, she wanted to know all, despite how it could hurt her.

“For years I have suppressed the creature within me. When you were younger, four if I recall correctly, your grandfather asked for my assistance in procuring doses for you. While I did not agree with such a notion, he was my closest friend and I supplied him. Soon after, the two of you disappeared,” Snoke explained carefully.

Rey grimaced, the man sat before her was partly responsible for some of her pain but yet here he was, sympathising with her and acknowledging the wrongness in what had happened to her.

“Why do you do this to yourself? Did my grandfather mention why he wanted to keep me from turning?” She pleaded, surely, he knew more.

Snoke was a treasure trove of information, a rich wealth of answers to the endless questions within.

“I don’t like what I become when I turn. I detest the lack of control. Surely, you feel the chaotic nature of your emotions since your presentation. Anger is one, it got the better of me and so I wished to tame the beast within. However, no, Reyna, I do not know why your grandfather wanted to suppress you. Fear can lead a man to act rashly and back then, your grandfather was full of it. Again, I don’t know why.”

The idea that he could offer no insight about her grandfather’s choice was crushing but she believed there was more to him; there were more tales behind those eyes.

Rey related to the doctor. Ever since she was bitten, a part of her appeared out of her control.

Her veins were live wires and they were without protection.

While her emotions had calmed considerably, there was still those moments that consumed her and left her in a fog or haze and she was prisoner to what was to become. It was out of anger and indignation that she had scarred Ben.  


“The pain of the injections, it is otherworldly. Is it worth it?” she mused aloud, she would never touch the concoction again or let anyone fill her with it again but his willingness to walk through fire was most intriguing.

“The pain gives me strength and in doing so, I am no longer fully incapacitated by heightened emotions or the lure of the moon.”

Rey nodded, not quite agreeing with his philosophy but she understood his need to feel in control of himself to some extent. To her, the moon was freeing and it gave her the strength she desired, under it, nothing could harm her.

“My transformation was painless this full moon, I was guided by my mate,” Rey admitted, gazing at Snoke once again, she tucked an errant strand of hair behind her ear.

It was easier to breathe now, anxiety no longer gnawed at her with canines so vicious.

Snoke’s eyes narrowed a fraction at the mention of her mate.

“It came as no surprise to me that you presented as an omega; I didn’t expect you to mate so soon,” his brows rose and once again, he picked up the fountain pen and nursed it, twiddling it.

Rey looked down and rubbed her sweaty palms on her skirt.

“Why did it come as no surprise? I have known Ben for years, we both cared for each other, I have loved him for some time but he refrained from pursuing me for the fear of dragging me into his world.”

It was ironic that his fear was fulfilled.

“Rey, your mother was an omega. I always presumed you would present at some point but the poison and suppressants would have stunted it. This Ben, he wouldn’t be a Solo would he?”

Ice lodged in Rey’s spine, she did not know her mother was an omega; they were the rare ones in society, most coveted after and yet her family seemed rife with them. Then there was his assumption about Ben.

Cautiously, she answered, conscious that Ben was her mate and someone she would protect by any means necessary. While Snoke seemed trustworthy, she knew such assumptions could result in her being blind sighted.

“His name is Ben Solo; he was named after my grandfather, his parents lead the pack following his departure,” she explained, waiting for any alarming tells from the man.

Snoke shook his head, his eyes fluttering closed and gripped his desk, his wrinkled fingers marred the mahogany.

“The Skywalker line has often been prophesied to join with the Kenobi line but each has ended in tragedy. Death follows such unions and many have tried it before. Then there is the matter of how Han and Leia were desperate to overthrow your grandfather and claim the pack for themselves-”

“My grandfather left the pack willingly and left Han as his heir,” Rey interrupted, not willing to sit by and let him slander the pair.

“Did he now?” Snoke asked, quirking a brow.

Rey was spinning with uncertainty but she defended them.

“Yes,” she said but her voice wobbled.

“Regardless of what you believe about that matter, I must voice my concern as your mother’s godfather, about your relationship. The joining of the two bloodlines has been prophesied but it has left only heartbreak in its wake.”

Rey swallowed hard, when she had first appeared to the pack during the full moon, the elder members seemed nothing short of joyous by her mating with Ben; they too spoke of a prophecy.

Then it hit her.

The dreams.

Rey’s tragedy was known, she would fall to her knees, blood pooling around them in the dark as she screamed for Ben. Was this collateral damage of an ancient prophecy? The two lines were supposed to join but the right souls had obviously not been found yet, perhaps others had tried but they were not meant to be.

She believed that she and Ben were meant to be, that they completed each other and brought about a balance unseen before in their history.

Rey stood and leaned over the desk, jabbing her finger upon the wood.

“I love Ben, nothing will happen,” she hoped what she had said was the truth despite the nagging of her nightmares.

Snoke smiled sadly.

“I don’t question your love for him, Reyna. I have only bore witness to our history. I don’t wish any harm upon you child.”

Feeling less defensive, she sat down, retreating backwards once again.

Snoke pulled a card out of his breast pocket and slid it across the table.

“This is my home address and number. If you ever need anything, don’t hesitate to call me. I want to help you Reyna, both professionally and personally. I might have failed your mother but I will not fail you.”

Rey pocketed the card, still bitter about his reaction to Ben and the accusation against Han and Leia.

“I just need answers; I want to know the truth and my part in all this.”

“I know, I can offer a helping hand and fill in some pieces.”

She nodded.

“As for your medical needs, I believe you are suffering with post traumatic stress disorder. Your panic attacks can often be indicative of it and is not uncommon. You survived an attack from a wolf, Rey, anyone would have trouble living with that,” he accessed, finally using the fountain pen.

The crimson ink brushed against the pad as he wrote.

“How do I get better?” She asked, it was barely above a whisper.

It was all she wanted, at least in that moment.

Snoke was silent as he contemplated her words.

“Use the valium in your purse, it well help in times of panic. Therapy with myself will work to tackle the cause and find solutions. Are you having any more problems? Nightmares?”

There was a gleam in his eye as if he already knew the answer to her question, it was all knowing, a third eye of sorts.

“Yes,” she confessed, there was no point in hiding what burdened her.

“We can talk about them too,” he said as he jotted down more notes.  


Nodding, Rey gazed out of his window, the sky clouded over with troves of dark clouds.

“I think that is enough for today, you will need to think over everything I have said. Bazine will call you with an appointment soon.”

Rey stood and Snoke did too, they walked to the door a more enlightened pair.

“Take care, Rey. Contact me anytime if you think of anything else you want to know.

Rey nodded and quickly exited the building, ignoring the stare of Bazine. She looked up at the sky just in time for the summer rain to fall upon her.

She tilted her face upwards, stood there for a while, letting it soak her through.

* * *

As she had promised Ben she would drive straight home, she decided to do just that but before she did, she needed to hear his voice. Sitting in her beetle, engine off and phone in hand, she called him.

It came as no surprise that he answered with a promptness most telling as if he had been holding his phone and waiting, perhaps not so patiently, for her call.

“Rey.”

She gripped her steering wheel with one hand and peered out, the windscreen was awash with the drizzle of the unexpected summer rain, it was an unusual contrast to the heat of the day. It was a sign of the times to come but there was more to it.

It was like a rebirth, it cleansed the city of all that had dirtied or befallen it and she wished it would bathe her in its most wondrous balm.

Instead, she chose to focus on the droplets that canvassed the window, they trickled downwards, slithered off the car and puddled below.

“Ben,” she sighed; she leaned forward and rested her head on the dash.

“Are you okay?” He asked.

No, she was not.

There was so much that she did not know and the sense of powerlessness in her was heart wrenching.

There were two differing tales of her grandfather’s abdication and while she believed in her heart that Ben’s parents had not prompted his leave from the pack, she could not rule out such an idea.

Pack dynamics were foreign to her; did alphas thirst for power that was not rightfully theirs? With power came a great deal of responsibility and the burdens that came along with leading a pack.

Did Han and Leia want the power as together they knew they could carry such burdens?

She clenched her teeth, Han had welcomed her with open arms and Leia, she was too grief stricken to read but the woman was the epitome of warmth and understanding even in her darkest of days.

“I think so. Therapy was difficult,” she finally managed to reply, the downpour grew heavier filling her car with a symphony of sounds, they pounded on her roof.

“Do you need me to come get you? Tell me where you are and I will be there,” Ben urged, she heard him rise from his chair, it knocked against the wall of his office.

No.

She needed to clear her head and think objectively without his presence muddying her line of thoughts.

“No, I am heading to the cabin after this call. I am alright,” she tried weakly, in reality; she was drained from all the information rattling about in her mind.

It was quiet for a moment; the sound of Ben’s harsh breaths and tick of his jaw were all to be heard. She loathed herself for worrying him.

A part of her wanted to race across the city and drench herself once more in the summer rain in hopes of rinsing and purging what ailed her. Then she would run into Ben’s arms and secure herself to him. Soaked, she would baptise him and hope that he would absolve her in return.

Through wet kisses, she would trust in his family fully and not allow others to cloud her judgment.

It was not that easy though.

If she was to discover the truth, she needed to research and she knew where to go. The trunk. It had to contain some answers; regretfully she had neglected it in recent times due to her heat and the growing tensions that came with the disappearances and her own nightmares.

It hurt, as in her own mind, time was slipping through her fingers and the sense of dread affected everything she did.

The images of her falling to her knees, her fingers grasping at the most visceral wound and the spray of blood around her was enough to derail her.

Ben assured her it would not happen but she knew it would. If only she knew when or how, then she could prevent such a dismal end.

“Rey, I feel like there is something you aren’t telling me.”

Ben was observant and she knew there was nothing she could hide from him, no matter how high she built those walls.

She could not lie to him.

If anything, he was the one who deserved her honesty the most. It was only fair.

“We need to speak later when you get home, it is not a discussion for the telephone,” she said and fumbled around in her bag for her car keys.

Once she found them, she inserted them and revved the engine.

“Rey, please tell me you are okay. We can talk about whatever it is you are thinking about, don’t shut me out,” he pleaded.

It was all too much, he was nothing but light and pure warmness and she had never felt so frigidly cold and neglectful of him.

She was going to tell him all. About how she believed her death was lingering in the fringes of her mind despite his insistence it was all a dream. Then she would confront him with the idea that split her spirit to the bone, that his parent’s could have forcefully removed her grandfather from the pack and robbed her the chance of knowing what she was.

There was a reckoning looming overhead and if she and Ben were left standing by the end of it, she could not foresee but she hoped for that finale.

“I am not going to shut you out, Ben. I promise. I will explain everything, I just want to get home, have a bath and make my mate a dinner for all his hard work. Then I will tell you what is going on,” she tried.

Ben sighed but relented.

“I will not be home late, I am nearly done here. I love you, Rey.”

Rey nodded, knowing his words were fiery and true.

“I love you, Ben,” she closed her eyes as she hung up, he deserved more, he deserved someone as strong as he.

Despite her fight, she found herself wallowing in fear and self-doubt.

Determined not to fall further, she straightened her back and held her chin high.

“Kenobi’s are strong, we will never break.”

That was her family motto, her grandfather’s most arduous and forever stressed words and she would not let anyone allow her to contradict them.

Pulling out of the parking space, she felt lighter. It had all been overreaction; she had been quick to assume things she knew very little about.

Not only did she owe it to Ben, she was obligated to his parents to hear their side. If they were unwilling, she hoped that answers were waiting for her back at the cabin.

Rain peppered and sounded her journey home, it was early enough in the afternoon so most commuters were already hard at work at their desks. Ben was one of them, despite all that troubled him; he persevered on and focused on his company and how he could make it flourish.

Despite her burst of uninterrupted working, the idleness of recent weeks was disconcerting. Wanting fully to immerse herself back in work but knowing her capability was compromised irked her terribly.

A rational part of her knew she was not required to work, not with the Kenobi fortune at her back and with Ben, more than willing to support her in anyway but it did not sit right with her.

When her mind was clear and times were better, she would work tirelessly to acclimatise herself back there. Maybe a change of pace was needed or a new environment.

It mattered not, it was hardly worth thinking about when her nightmare darkened everything she touched or thought about.

What was the point in committing herself to bettering her life and career when her heart told her she was going to fall in the dark and perhaps never stand again?

No, she could not think like that.

There was so much to fight for; her grandfather had raised her to appreciate every day and to adopt a positive attitude whenever possible. Knowing she could never mirror the aura of calm that radiated from him in troves was somewhat off putting but unlike him, she had Ben whose goodness knew no viable end.

With the spirit of her grandfather at her back and Ben’s true heart at her side, she could conquer all that challenged her.

A whisper of a smile tugged at her lips as she drummed her fingers to the beat of the currents of the downpour that fell heavy then. Her windscreen wipers were busy at work, a chill crept into her cab despite the heat outside but she braved it, knowing she was close to home.

It was refreshing and not all discomforting.

The final part of the journey could be manoeuvred blind but extra carefulness was taken on the long, narrow roads to the cabin. The paths were slick and full of winding turns and Rey knew from experience how they could fool even the most experienced of drivers, especially with the alluvion rainfall.

In her teens, she had been behind the wheel and in her haste to reach home one summer, she had pummelled straight into a tree.

Luckily, there was very little harm done except a costly repair job and whiplash on her part.

Thinking of Ben, she hoped he was mindful of such a thing, especially in such a speedy machine. Once she was settled, she would call him and remind him of the unstable nature of the rarely used backroads.

After she parked up, she shouldered her bag, ready to brave the outdoors. Ducking, she locked up and then briskly ran towards the cabin, cautious of how slippery the grass has become.

Jumping the paving stones in twos and threes, she bolted up the stairs, slightly breathless as she cast a backwards glance at the lake.

The surface was rippling and swirling with the nature of the weather. It was a pretty sight. Despite the ferocity of it all, it was soothing. The mindless patters were something she could easily lose herself in.

Turning back towards the door, she opened it and began to wring her hair dry. Stepping in, she flicked the light-switch but it was unresponsive, it hummed but no light came.

Rolling her eyes, she walked to the fuse box at the back of the house, she had forgotten to open the curtains that morning so the house was draped in darkness but she knew her way and her keen eyesight lead her well.

Reaching the box, she twisted the loose fuse and the house brightened.

Thankful for such an easy fix, she closed the box with a smile and walked towards the bedroom, more than eager to change out of her wet clothes, bathe and prepare a meal for Ben.

Opening the door, she shuffled in and dropped her bag to the floor.

On her bed, sat a man armed with a crossbow aimed at her.

“Hello Rey, I am glad to finally make your acquaintance, I have been waiting a long time to meet you.”

Rey backed against the wall, the imminent threat of the silver arrow real and heavy.

All she could think of was Ben and everything she had never experienced with him. Had she told him she loved him this morning?

Did he know she loved him with every fibre of her body?

“Who are you?”

The man seemed vaguely familiar, she had seen his eyes before but where, she did not know.

Smiling, he gazed up at her, his blue eyes twinkling.

“I’m Luke Skywalker.”

Rey’s breath quickened, it came out as quick little pants. Her instincts screamed at her to run, that this was the hunter who Ben had called uncle but who also killed his own kind.

There was a very real possibility that if she remained in this room with him, he would kill her.

The fight or flight response was in full effect and Luke observed her with a tilt of his head as if he knew she was ready to flee.

It was a menacing stand off but Rey slithered along the wall until she reached the doorframe and then swivelled, darting into the hallway.

The man behind her chuckled as he pursued her, steadily gaining ground. Rey did not dare chance a backwards glance, she zigzagged, a moving target was harder to incapacitate. Reaching the door, she grasped the knob and sighed, once she was outside, the advantage would lie with her.

An arrow tore through her shoulder, stilling all movement, she dropped to the floor, hissing, the impact was far worse than she had expected, it knocked her straight off her feet.

Rolling over, she attempted to find her feet once more but it was useless.

The arrow burned, it gleamed a wicked silver and sizzled her insides. Rey screeched, the pain was comparable to the toxic charring of Wolfsbane. The shaft was serrated, its edges far more dangerous than the point. Every movement brought about more damage; the silver dug into her flesh and carved a wicked wound in its path.

Cradling her shoulder, she attempted to free herself of the wretched weapon but blood gushed freely, her fingers were useless, wet and slippery. Even the shaft burned her fingertips, it was made entirely of silver it seemed, something she thought long thought a myth with its power to maim a wolf. There was no removing it, it was firmly lodged inside of her, it penetrated her chest and impaled her, the arrow jutted out of her back and scraped the wooden flooring beneath her.

Grunting, she relented and accepted the pain, quickly realising the wound would not heal without the removal of the arrow.

The man approached her, shaking his head and tutting loudly. He whistled a tune, a crude rendition of Gene Kelly’s ‘Singin’ in the Rain.’

It echoed off the walls, it was his marching song that contrasted wildly with his actions and the blood shed by him. Luke’s footfalls were quiet and precise but he was stalking her, taunting her as he clicked his fingers to accompany the breezy melody.

This man was insane.

There was very little soundness in his mind.

His theatrics distracted her from the pain though, it was something.

There was no responding fear radiating from Rey, she would not satisfy him with her cowering and acceptance over her fate, she would greet the reaper without an ounce of trepidation and welcome him with her tenacity instead.

If he meant to kill her, she would display the Kenobi strength and the impossible task of breaking them.

Still whistling, he tilted his bearded mouth near her ear so the tune was louder, it was blaring and more obnoxious than before. Then he pulled her up by her underarms, almost dancing in sync, he turned them in quick little circles as he proceeded to drag her to a seat.

Every movement was jarring, rivulets of pain lanced throughout her shoulder and torso but she collected herself, biting hard on the inside of her cheek until she tasted blood.

There was a quietness in her agony.

Luke swept his shiny grey hair out of his eyes as he sat; he flashed a toothy grin her way and stroked his beard.

The man was seemingly unaffected or bore no guilt about what he had inflicted upon her.

“I expected more of Ben Kenobi’s granddaughter. I only wanted to talk, Rey. Look what you made me do!” His voice rose several octaves, the pitch more like a nonsensical squeal.

A manic laugh filled the space as he shook his head, narrowing his eyes at her as if it was her fault that his arrow was protruding from her chest; it struck true and skewered her.

Disturbed was what came to mind.

Shadows darkened his face as he leaned forward. All laughter came to an end as his voice lowered once again, his words a heady warning.

“Now, do you think you can behave while we converse or will I have to quiet you?”

Throughout all of this, he had loaded another arrow into his metallic bow with leather gloved fingers and fine precision. There was no questioning that he had perfected the art from countless repetitions of the dastardly deed.

This time he aimed true, straight at her heart with a steady hand.

With her teeth bared and nostrils flaring, Rey nodded sharply, resigned to her predicament but more than ready for what awaited her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this is my cruelest cliffhanger to date.
> 
> So...my two antagonists in one chapter...both equally as bad but one shows their true colours more than the other.
> 
> If you understand why I used "Singin' in the Rain" and where I referenced his demeanour from, I love you :D
> 
> Your support means everything to me, a comment/feedback is like gold to a writer, we want to hear from you!
> 
> I hope you are still with me as I start to water the seeds I have planted throughout this story. 
> 
> I think we need to hear a bit from Ben in the next chapter?
> 
> There was lots of foreshadowing in this chapter...if you pick up on it, well done :D
> 
> Until next time...


	17. Warrior

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ben reflects about the past and the similarities of the events then and now.
> 
> Rey and Luke standoff.

Ben sat at his desk, deep in thought; all the work in front of him was long forgotten. The office had taken on a chill after Rey left; her departure induced his worry and unease. Admittedly, he was thrown, torn between allowing her the space she needed to heal and engage with a professional and wanting her to confide only in him as a most valued confidant.

The situation was convoluted, one that required delicate handling but still, he worried for her when she was not in his presence and there was no escaping that dread. If he had it his way, he would have locked them both in the cabin and wait for the looming storm of uncertainty to pass, despite how neglectful that would appear. Mate or no mate, Ben was in a precarious predicament. He was next in line to lead the pack alongside Rey and he could not abandon the souls who looked upon him for strength, reassurance and guidance.

While drumming his fingers on the rich mahogany desk, a telling sign of his anxiety, he reflected over how much his life had changed. Only a month before; there was little hope in pursuing Rey, it was a notion he had long abandoned. For she was a human and a beta but he could never have guessed how wrong he was about her.

Perhaps a part of him always knew of the potential in her blood, that he sensed his true counterpart within her, a divine little omega for an alpha.

An omega, it was both the sweetest of blessings but also a worrisome curse.

It had all played out before, long before his birth. With omegas rapidly dwindling in number, they were highly sought after. The faction were manically coveted by any hot-blooded alpha who was willing to fight for them and fight they would, regardless of the omega’s feelings about the matter. None were more evident in that matter than his grandparents.

Telling his parents that Rey was an omega had opened their usually guarded minds to him. He saw the past through their eyes, a rush of memories becoming one with his own. It was knowledge he had long sought but had never forced. Now they were fresh and heady, as if he had borne witness to the tragedy that rocked the pack. It was not an easy confrontation, despite him never meeting his grandparents, he mourned them and what was lost that night.

Anakin had to fight every day to ensure the safety of his wife, lover and mate, often regaled for her royal heritage in Europe and otherworldly beauty. That beauty was intrinsic too, a fair and caring soul to match her stunning looks.

In the end, despite all of Anakin’s strength and heart, Padme fell victim to the beasts that lay in wait in the darkness. Her murder sparked the splintering of the family and doused the flames of his uncle’s fragile mind. According to some of the elders, Padme had not been singled out for death, no; it was an attempted abduction that developed into chaos. She fought the nameless attacker, no more than a puppet for an unknown master, with a might that rivalled even an alpha’s power. Said to be a fiery woman, she fought for her life and woke all with her screams. In a feeble attempt to silence her, the would be kidnapper throttled her, silencing her calls, but others had gathered and closed in on the man.

It was too difficult to take her, especially surrounded and so he opened her throat with a wicked slash of his claws, his final sinful act on Earth. By then, Anakin, Han and Leia had reached the scene and witnessed Padme’s fall. Her wide eyes were full of unshed tears as Anakin caught her, he did not let the soil act as her final resting place, a cold embrace. He crowned her with his palm and grasped her neck, willing it to close as ribbons of vermillion wet his fingers. Dying, she attempted to mouth a final set of words but there was no saving her and none surfaced. Soon after, her eyes glazed over, death taking her without a whisper, a wispy little death rattle in the night.

After avenging his wife, where he made the attacker suffer and endure most of his heartache and his pain, he cradled Padme. He did so long after the warmth that had originally drawn him to her dissipated, leaving only an icy shadow of the woman in her place. For days, he clung to her, willing her to wake but nothing stirred, not even a breeze.

It had been Leia who finally managed to drag her father from her dead mother, her own belly round with new life, Ben.

The circle of life continued.

Ben swallowed hard; he had witnessed the barbaric act in glimpses of his parents’ thoughts throughout the years whenever the great Padme Skywalker’s name arose in conversation but now he was privy to all. Both Han and Leia were forever tainted by that night; their hearts were left gaping and stained with a red sadness like the blood spilled.

Wondering if he was doomed to relive the events of the past, he stressed. If the same forces at work back then were now rearing their ugly heads, he would fight and succeed where his grandfather failed.

Was it all happening again?

There had been abductions at that time too and so Ben was going to assume it was.

Yes, he was resolute in that line of thinking.

The past was not dead, it was alive and it was happening again, there were new eyes and hearts to carry the story but the same key points remained.

Only this time, a Skywalker would not lose his mate to the inky depths of premature death, he would protect Rey and put her own life before his own. It was the alpha thing to do.

Standing, he moved over to the window. The summer rain had begun to fall a little while before Rey had called him; thick plumes of grey clouds eclipsed the sun leaving a stifling humidity in its wake. Ben knew she was hurting and that she was scared, her nightmares had crippled her and it was hardly surprising. Like her, he had seen them, each night he woke to the screams that stopped his heart for a split second. Then his mind was flooded with the aftermath of Rey’s dream as she screamed for him in the dark, her hands doing little to stave the bleeding of the stab wound that lingered past waking.

It was a fatal injury, there was no denying it and he prayed to the god he never believed in that they were only dreams, her fears manifesting in a cruel way.

If this was Rey’s fate, a repetition of the tragedy that befell his grandmother, he knew that life would no longer matter to him. Every day that passed, he understood his grandfather more and related to him on another level. He ached for his guidance but Anakin was gone, lost to his family in death or ruin, no one knew of his fate.

For Ben would blaze a trail of destruction in his wake as he avenged his mate. Then he would join her, hopeful that an afterlife existed which would unite them again where their love and spirits knew no end, he would hold her for all time.

He had never felt so helpless, so utterly useless but each night it was the same, him whispering quiet assurances to Rey as her racing heart calmed below his palms. If he could, he would never let her go again and shield her from all, a buffer to ward off the dark and whoever hid in the shadows.

Life was not so simple.

Rationally, he knew he could not follow Rey or imprison her like a pretty bird for keeping. He struggled though; it was their first time apart since they had consummated their mating during her glorious and sensational heat. It had joined them more than physically. It maimed him to see her walk away from him, to see the last slither of her disappear behind thick elevator doors.

The only thing that helped ease the burden was that it was therapy she was attending, something he hoped would come to be beneficial. On the phone, she did not appear uplifted or in good spirits, there was a pitch to her voice that he recognised well.

She was not telling him something.

There was restraint in her words, something quite unusual as ordinarily, he could read her well or coax forward even her darkest thoughts. After she assured him that she would tell him everything when he arrived home, he was still concerned but thankful that she was willing to share whatever was troubling her.

Crossing his arms over his chest, he leaned against the wall observing the downpour. It was the first of the summer and was entirely unexpected. The rain pebbled the glass, streaking the room in its shadow and sound. Ben shuddered then, a shiver danced up his spine and crept around his neck and enveloped him in an icy embrace. Frowning, he peered down at his forearms and he found them riddled in goose bumps, the hairs of his arm were standing up.

Stumbling back to his desk, he planted his palms on the wood and steadied himself, suddenly overcome with a crippling fear, it made him lame, one that was not quite his own. The air rushed out of his lungs as he panicked, although there was nothing around him to cause such an overreaction but still, the rush of adrenaline rushed through him as one would do running for their life.

_Rey_

Clenching his fists, he shut his eyes, cleared his mind, and reached out to Rey. Their connection was so fresh and untested; both knew very little about the workings of it but her mind was susceptible to his, mostly open whenever she was in his presence. When they had been separated after, her finding out it was he who had bitten her, he had heard her calling for him, despite the distance between them; he had felt her fear as a nightmare ruined any semblance of escapism that sleep offered, there was no reprieve.

So now he concentrated, willing the distance to close between their minds once more. Certain it was her fear that was radiating through him, he nauseated, bile tickled his throat as he imagined the worse. Enraged and terrified, he slammed his fist onto the wood, it splintered, a tiny chasm wracked through the desk.

It was useless, he could not hear her thoughts, not at this distance and he was a useless spectator to the fear that ravaged through her and into him.

Hissing, he dropped to his knees, cradling his shoulder. The initial spike of pain was otherworldly, it was white hot and skewered him as it burned and made ashes of his insides. Quickly shedding his shirt, he pulled it downwards and inspected the source of the ache. There was nothing there; no mark marred his skin, there was no vicious wound demanding attention. Still, it charred him and elicited his own fear response.

Someone was hurting Rey, it had to be silver or Wolfsbane, each weakened and incapacitated a wolf. In an act of desperation, he managed to lift his phone and call Rey. His heart was thunder in his ears as he waited and hoped he was wrong about it all. As the rings continued, his hope died and he knew what awaited him.

Ignoring the pain that filtered through him, he shrugged on his shirt, breathing hard as he raced from the office, intent on finding Rey.

* * *

The pair scrutinised each other for a moment, Rey did not relent with the cold front she offered to the hunter but he seemed oddly pleased by that, as if amused by her display.

The rain fell harder outside and sounded the room with its patters, a pretty soothing rhythm unmatched and contrasting of the chaos roaring inside.

Rey was tired.

Never before had she been so wholly thrown. From the first attack, she had become a victim and she was exhausted with playing that role. She was done with stepping into that realm of fear.

This would shape her in a way that no other times had before.

It was like waking up for the first time.

With a newfound steely determination, she sat up straighter, ignoring the ache in her shoulder as burgundy painted her torso. The bleeding had ebbed to some extent but the serrated edges of the arrow meant any slight movement triggered another carving of her flesh and so more would weep from the shredded wound.

“What do you want?” She glowered at him, her eyes entirely focused on the gleam of the arrow pointed toward her.

In a second, her life could end, but all she could think of was Ben. Her suffering was inconsequential when compared with his, she imagined him discovering the grizzly scene Luke would leave behind. It was unfair and wretched and something that would tear his heart in two.

There was the hope that he knew how much she loved him and how despite everything, their time together had been the best of her existence.

She loved him and she repeated it into her mind, shouting, she built it to a fever pitch, wishing he could hear her words.

Luke’s demeanour shifted like the flip of a coin and once more, he was grinning as if it was a reunion of old friends and not like a man who had chased her down and delivered a mighty blow by shooting her.

“You’ll notice that your grandfather’s trunk is missing. It will be returned to you when I make copies of the information relatable to my cause,” he added flippantly, gesturing to the barren corner where the trunk had once lay.

Incensed, Rey glared at him.

“That was not yours to take,” she responded bitterly, her words as sharp as the device that impaled her.

“Anything relevant to our kind is my business,” Luke shrugged, setting his crossbow down on the table between them.

Then he stood, shedding his trench coat. He motioned towards his belt and the array of weapons that lined it; there was two guns and a plethora of bulky knives. It was a warning and Rey was not a fool, she had tested him once and he delivered and upheld his reputation as a hunter. She would not make that mistake again.

The smile he offered was eerie, much too wide to be genuine, his blue eyes bulged a fraction. Closing the distance between them, his heavy-duty boots squeaked and the floorboards creaked below him.

Rey held her stance, despite how it pained her; this was the making of her. Luke’s audacity and willingness to tread over her had affected her in a powerful way; she did not fear the man any longer, for nothing he could do would break her.

Hovering by her side, his hand roamed down the length of her arm. It was vile, his calloused fingers and elongated nails were like poison against her skin. She caught herself and kept her body from visibly recoiling from his touch, unsure of how he would respond. Instead, she clenched her teeth and stared straight ahead, focusing upon the picture of Ben and her on the mantle.

He would be her anchor, her source of strength during this ordeal. They were happy then, despite their feelings for one another being hushed and unspoken but their hearts were true and filled with love for the other. The fireworks behind them lit up their faces, Ben’s arm was secured around her shoulder and she was grinning, smiling as she raised her half-empty beer to the camera. The woman there was oblivious to the man’s feelings and his turmoil of not being able to be with her, she wished she had kissed him then, his face lit up by flashes of red and blue. They would have had more time together if she had.

Luke’s workings soon moved to her chest, he dragged his index finger along her collarbone before snatching the pendant nestled between her breasts. With one sharp tug, he tore it from her neck, snatching it up in his palm.

“I will return this too after I open the trunk,” he said gleefully, turning his back on her.

For a moment, she wanted to strike him, to make him pay for such a sign of disrespect and his utter audacity, how dare he touch her and then take what was hers.

Tearing her pendant from her was like taking a part of herself, her identity. It was cruel; his hands had soiled her family heirloom.

Instead of acting rash, she dug her fingertips into the couch cushions and secured herself there. One wrong move could prove fatal, she needed to test his limits and work around them but the man was obviously unbalanced with little sound of mind.

He was unpredictable and unstable, a toxic combination in this game between the two of them.

“Will you be leaving now?” Rey quipped, another fresh wave of pain radiated through her torso, it spiked below her shoulder and coursed downwards, a river of agony jolted her but she remained impassive, a sufferer in silence.

Once again, her thoughts reverted to Ben. Knowing of the deep connection between the two, she wondered whether he knew of what was transpiring. A part of her wished him to remain oblivious to the hell she was confronted with, she did not want him to face his uncle or find herself used as a pawn to weaken his position.

“No. I was truthful when I expressed how wonderful it is to meet you Rey, despite the circumstances.”

Rey flinched, not quite believing the honesty in his words.

“Why did you want to meet me? Do you plan on taking me like the others?” She retorted, her heart pounded inside her chest, a bruising and most hectic rhythm as she challenged him.

Luke studied her, folding his hands over his lap and then laughed, a great boisterous sound, it boomed throughout the cabin.

“Young Rey, I don’t abduct wolves, I kill them,” his voice dropped an octave, a contrast to his flushed face, rosy with laughter.

A chill danced up Rey’s spine, a low ringing sounded in her ears.

If Luke was not behind the recent abductions, then who was?

“Are you going to kill me?” She asked.

Luke shook his head, his fingers drummed along his kneecap; he unsheathed one of his knives and trailed it along the coffee table.

Once more she was reminded of what fate awaited her, a blade in the dark, could it be his? Would he carve her up and steal her future from her with a faux sense of righteousness in his mind and heart? She swallowed hard, blinking.

For if he were the reaper, she would not cower.

“Not unless you provoke me and force my hand. You’re family after all,” he offered, briefly glancing at the photo of Ben and her.

Hot anger flooded her veins.

“You lost the right to call them family when you betrayed them; you tarnish them with every life you take!” Rey growled out, unable to help herself.

She had seen passing images of Luke in Ben’s mind. As a young boy, Ben looked toward his uncle for strength and guidance, still shaken from the traumatic event of his first transformation at the tender age of five. Hope bloomed inside of him as he gazed up at his mysterious uncle who snubbed him, proclaiming there was too much of Anakin in him.

“It was my mother who was betrayed first! It was her murder that set me down this path!” he roared, he sat forward and reared his hand upwards, blade in hand and then brought it down, the knife sliced through the wood of the coffee table, it stood rigid and impaled.

The corner of eye twitched manically, he bared his teeth to disguise the quivering of his lip but Rey saw all, her own chest heaved in anticipation, ready for him to swarm and silence her.

He did not move, much to Rey’s surprise.

A few rapid tuts of his tongue later, he looked upon Rey.

“Forgive me; I forget there is so much you don’t know. I mean, your own mother and father were murdered, surely you would avenge them if you could?”

Rey’s world reached a standstill, her mouth was dry and her heart dared to not carry on. A lone tear trailed downward, smearing her face with her grief. Luke’s words had punched a gaping hole in her chest, she dizzied.

“My parents died in a fire,” she whispered, feeling every bit like the child who asked her grandfather repeatedly why her parents played no part in her life. Old Ben was enough, he loved her unconditionally but Rey was entitled to more, two parents who created her, a living product of their love for one another.

Luke nodded, he prodded the knife on the table and it rocked, the blade caught the light and glimmered, bathing her in its steely and wicked shine.

“Yes they did. However, they were incapacitated by the time the flames ravaged them. It was you, Rey, the sole survivor of that fire who rose from the ashes like a phoenix. I pulled you from the fire, I spared your life,” his eyes took on glassy film as he retreated to a place back in time.

Rey spun, eyes wet with tears but she refused to crumble and feed him her grief, no matter how much it tore her insides and blackened her heart.

“You killed them, you took them away from me,” she seethed, bile rose in her throat, her mouth was bitter and filled with ash, something that would forever stain her.

Luke peered at her, reclining as he resumed his hold on the crossbow.

“Admittedly, I played a part but it was an associate who ordered their deaths. If it were not for me, you would be dead, I carry a weakness in my heart, you see. Your mother begged for your life, your father was the one to shed tears, a final plea to spare you on his lips, he told me to ‘save mi sol’ before I ripped his heart out.”

Rey howled then, a sound hardly human as she imagined her parents accepting of their own deaths with only her life something of importance to them. They sacrificed themselves so she could live on and she would never forget the weight of such an action.

They loved her and they died for her.

Luke stood then, offering his hand for comfort as he gripped her shoulder.

Rey shook him off, recoiling as if burned; she stood and stared him down, her nose brushing against his own.

“I will kill you, I will watch you burn,” she growled and it was a promise she was intent on keeping.

Luke smirked.

“I believe you and perhaps that is my destiny, it will be a most joyous end but today is not that day.”

Rey started to pace, she was numb to the pain; a thick determination took hold of her.

“Who ordered their deaths?”

“I am not at liberty to discuss that with you.”

“You owe me that!” She screamed, the veins in her neck bulged as a fire woke in her veins, she touched shadows.

Closing the distant between the two, she charged him, Luke was prepared and gripped the arrow penetrating her, he twisted it and she dropped to her knees, a new rush of blood slithered down her frame.

“I owe no one. Our kind has brought nothing but ruin to the world and our end will be as glorious as the sun. I will not rest until we are a thing of the past.”

Grunting hard, she tilted her chin upwards, an act of defiance. Her knees ached against the wood flooring; the room took on a chill as the rain outside battered the roof with a new ferocity.

Luke leaned downwards, his hold on the arrow was like a vice, he circled it, eliciting her submissiveness.

She spat in his face.

With a hard shove, she fell to the ground, landing awkwardly on her side.

“Such disrespect isn’t becoming of an omega, Rey. You should carry yourself with grace, I expected more from you,” Luke reprimanded.

He circled her as a predator does its prey before he drew his leg back and threw a hard kick into her stomach, relieving her of all breath.

Gasping, Rey clawed at the ground and curled in on herself, it was an instinctual thing, to protect her most precious organs from the brunt of his attack. It was no easy feat, she hurt all over but still she carried on, tucking her chin into her knees.

“I wanted to meet you, the first omega I have come across since my beautiful mother. I had such hope for you, Rey. Your anger, your desire for revenge could have been sharpened and tuned to my cause. A Skywalker and Kenobi joined together as one, we could have set the world aflame,” he muttered.

“I would never join you. Ben is the Skywalker I will stand beside, do what you must to me but he will rise above all. He is a better man than you could ever hope to be,” she puffed out, palming her broken ribs.

Luke squatted beside her, his brow slick with sweat.

“You know of the prophecy, loving him will only end in tragedy.”

“Not if we are the chosen ones,” she bit back.

“Do you believe you are? Do you love him with a passion unknown to all who tried to join the bloodlines before yourselves?” He tilted his head, mocking her.

Rey did not hesitate.

“I do.”

She rolled, gasping as her ribs healed slowly beneath her fingertips.

“I think you’re wrong and all your potential will be wasted. If you had joined my cause, to rid the Earth of our kind for the greater good, you would have flourished, the darkness calls to you, I can see it in your eyes.”

She shook her head.

“You murdered my parents and countless others. I will use the darkness inside of me to end you,” she gritted out.

Luke sighed, grasping her chin with a bruising hold.

“You look so much like my mother; her light knew no end until a monster, filled with darkness took her from us. You’ll regret what you have said here today.”

Rey gazed at him, prepared to deliver a deathblow to whatever heart powered him on.

“Your poor mother, she would have hated the monster you have become.”

The words were her undoing.

Luke’s face morphed into thunder, his bright eyes dimmed as he advanced, wrapping his hands around her throat.

Rey choked, the blood rushed to her face as he squeezed upon her larynx. The pressure was unlike anything she had ever felt before; her need for air was stifling and all consuming.

Luke’s hold on her tightened, she fought him despite the protest of her ribs and shoulder, she clawed at his hands and then at his throat.

“You don’t get to speak of her,” he growled out, his hot breath fanned her face, it was heavy with stale coffee and the wretched scent of cigarette smoke.

His eyes bulged as he squeezed, she kicked out landing a blow to his midsection but he was unmoving, he loomed over her like a wicked menace with the promise of death beneath his fingertips.

Vision blurring, her hands dropped to her sides, she was so tired.

So tired of being a victim.

So tired of life creeping up on her and offering more darkness.

So tired of being there.

She floated, no more tears were shed.

She thought of the light in her life, the one who inspirited her and who would encourage her to fight for her life with a tenacity unseen in her before.

“Ben,” she whispered, a smile creeping on her face.

A surge of adrenaline powered her on; she would fight for the life she wanted to spend with Ben.

She would fight for the raven-haired children that would one day cradle her bosom.

Gripping Luke’s wrist, she lengthened her nails, revealing her weapons and slashed upwards, swiping along the length of his wrist as she kicked out once again, hearing an audible crack below her foot. Luke’s hold on her faltered, enough for her to draw in sweet breaths that would extend her life, enough for her to fight.

“Rey!”

In her hour of need, she heard Ben. It was fitting, unsure if it was the effects of the lack of oxygen or her imagination playing a cruel trick on her, she continued on, slashing once more and Luke grunted, a steady stream of vermillion splattered her face as she opened the flesh of his forearms.

“Rey!”

The second call was louder than the first and so she opened her eyes, finding Luke gazing at the door, ignoring the damage she had inflicted.

Ben was there.

“It seems we have a visitor, young Rey.”

His hold on her neck slackened and then she was flying upwards, he pulled her to her feet and cradled her from behind, he buried his face in her sweat-laden locks and rocked, his breathing much louder and strained than before.

“You will cooperate,” he whispered and it was then Rey realised that Luke was an alpha, he was commanding her, working his compulsion upon her but she fought it.

She was successful in her resistance against him, a steady stream of satisfaction and confidence flooded her mind.

Coughing, she nodded despite her overcoming his command. She was not a servant to him.

The door flew inwards with an almighty crack, it was booming like white lightning.

Splinters ricocheted everywhere, pebbling off her clothes, it was then she felt the cold steel of Luke’s blade across her abused and bruised throat.

His other hand secured tightly around her middle, he used her like a shield, a weakness of Ben’s that he intended on using to his advantage.

“Let her go,” Ben growled, stalking towards them.

The pressure of the blade increased against her throat and Rey looked onward with wide eyes, loathing the situation she found herself in.

“Careful where you step, Ben, I wouldn’t want to slip and bathe the floor with your mate’s blood,” Luke warned, he rested his head on Rey’s injured shoulder.

He moved his hand upwards and jostled the arrow still skewering her; she bit her lip, refusing to pleasure him with her cries.

Ben locked eyes with her, he was wild, his eyes blazing a fiery crimson but underneath it all, was the posture of a man terrified of losing his mate.

She mouthed that she loved him and he recoiled, visibly frightened by her desperate declaration in case it was the last she ever made. He was distraught, he ran a hand through his soaked hair.

She had never seen him so fearful before, not even when she walked away from him after hearing the truth of his bite.

“I was just leaving, nephew, my men are outside waiting for me. I was glad that she bounded you to the moonstones; I have been aching to grace this cabin with my presence and witness the treasures within it for a long time. Since I am blood of your blood, entry applies to me,” Luke informed him, his voice lowered near her ear and she flinched.

“You do not get to call me that, you are not family anymore. If you think you are leaving here with your life, you must be a fool, old man,” Ben delivered the threat, flashing his teeth at his uncle, he edged closer.

Luke pressed the blade harder into Rey’s neck, it broke the skin, a superficial and shallow cut but she bled, decorating the blade and Ben stilled, paling.

“Don’t test me, Ben. I will leave here unharmed or I will end Rey’s life right now. You know what I am capable of.”

Rey shivered, she knew too well what the unhinged hunter was efficient in and pain and suffering was his forte. The wind swirled in from the broken door, beyond it, a group of men, clad in black had gathered, each armed with crossbows aimed at Ben’s back.

Ben swivelled, taking in the sight. They were surrounded and outnumbered, even with his strength, there was no way that he could fight them off and reach her in time, Rey knew this.

Ben faced them once more, his hands drawn into tight white fists by his sides.

“I will let you leave if you cause her no further harm,” Ben seethed, his throat bobbed as if the words were forced, a rotten kind of blasphemy that went against what his heart ached for.

It was silent then, the rainfall and Rey’s rapid heartbeats the only sounds that emitted any real life.

“I’m glad you have grown into a reasonable man, Ben. No more blood will be shed today,” Luke said happily, shuffling both him and Rey towards the door.

Ben moved away from the door as they did, he watched their every move, his eyes burned into Rey’s.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered.

Rey felt it all, his guilt, his shame and the rich sickness he felt deep within him that he was maimed and brought to his knees and unable to defend her.

“I’m okay,” Rey assured him, the blade was taut against her skin as she moved with Luke until they were at the doorframe, their backs to the outside world.

Rey reached into Ben’s mind, it was full of the images he had plucked from his parents’ minds. Of his grandmother, Padme and her throat sliced open, a wide gaping wound that tore more than her flesh, it ripped a family apart.

Rey was a mirror image of the fallen beauty and Ben was incensed, like the man who had avenged her, he stood in the bloody shadow of Anakin and his murderous glory.

“It was lovely to meet you Rey, hopefully you will you grow into your omega qualities. I will return your trunk and pendant after it has all been copied. Do give my proposition some more thought, wont you?” Luke smiled into her shoulder, poking his arrow.

“My answer will always be no,” She bit back, focusing solely on Ben, he was coiled and ready, his nostrils flared.

“We shall see. I hope to see the both of you again soon, very soon.”

Luke then turned her and sheathed his blade. With a wide smile, he gripped his arrow, his gloved fingers protected against the serrated edges and he pulled, removing the arrow from her flesh.

Rey yelped, finally relieved of the silver. With a hard shove, she was pushed indoors; Ben was there to catch her, his warm palms already stemming the bleeding as he pulled her inwards, cradling her to him. He patted her down, searching for more injuries. She gasped as he trailed along her ribs and then again as he skimmed them around her purpling neck.

The healing was fast at work, her wounds would heal.

He shook his head; his hands shook over her flesh.

“I’ll kill him, I promise you. I will make him pay for this,” Ben choked.

His eyes were wet with tears but they were murderous, glazed with a hellish demise on the surface of them. It was Luke who he envisioned, smeared in red and berthed to the Earth by his own hands.

By the time she gathered herself and looked out at the monsoon raging outside, Luke and his men were gone, the revving off an engine signalled their departure.

Rey looked upon Ben; she cradled either side of his face and rested her forehead against his own.

The victim was dead and in her place stood a battled tested warrior, not broken but strengthened by her experiences. A new source of power bloomed in her heart.

All of her hurt and her suffering had been the making of her and now she emerged from the shadows and basked in the light.

Her breaths kissed his lips, steady and true, the resolve and belief in herself was now iron clad.

“No, we will kill him together.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *exhales*
> 
> I promise pretty smut in the next chapter to make up for all this heartache. It will be a lighter chapter and I am sure you will all be relieved but I do have two antagonists to deal with...
> 
> Rey's character growth has been important to me and now she is reaching a full circle. She is a warrior, far from the woman who cowered behind doors for fear of what was out there.
> 
> Quoting your favourite lines is better than extra kudos.
> 
> I cannot thank my commenters enough, they really do spur me on (the next chapter is well underway)
> 
> So if you like this, please do support me by leaving feedback or your thoughts, even if it is an incoherent ramble
> 
> See you all soon! <3


	18. Healing

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Avenged Sevenfold-Warmness on the Soul**
> 
>  
> 
> Your hazel-green tint eyes watching every move I make  
> And that feeling of doubt, it's erased  
> I'll never feel alone again with you by my side  
> You're the one and in you I confide more  
> And we have gone through good and bad times  
> But your unconditional love was always on my mind  
> You've been there from the start for me  
> And your love's always been true as can be  
> I give my heart to you  
> I give my heart 'cause nothing  
> Can compare in this world to you

**Beautiful art by[alliedreamsofthesea](http://alliedreamsofthesea.tumblr.com/post/175752642012) <3**

The days following Luke’s intrusion and assault were spent in the light. The storm that had raged the day of his entrance was long gone; the summer rain was spent and washed away by blue skies and an even hotter and brighter sun.

Though the unsettling news of her parents’ death had thrown her, she carried it differently, thoughtfully and used it to fuel her will to carry on.

Rey was lighter, no longer bound and chained to the hurt of the past; she sailed forward and used the pain of that night to heat her heart with love for Ben and a new passion for a deserving penance. While she she knew that her promise of death to the man who had taken all from her was loaded with consequences, she was prepared to see it through. So was Ben. Despite Luke being his uncle, there was no love between the two, any kind of relationship was brushed away by Luke when he refused to guide or sympathise with his nephew after his first transformation. It was only splintered further and deemed beyond repair by Luke’s continued hunting of his own kind, it was unforgivable, something Ben would never pretend to understand or tolerate.

Together they would end his reign of terror and put an end to the destruction he left in his wake, it would spare others, an action that would result in balance. An eye for an eye turned the world blind but already, Luke was the blindest of them all. Despite his philosophies, he was ignorant to logic and lacked a deeper understanding of their kind and what they truly represented.

They were not monsters but the original peacekeepers of the earth.

Wolves as a collective did not bring about destruction, only a select few like Luke were rotten to the core and soiled the bunch with their hate. For wolves were children of the moon, beings in tune with the earth and the forces around them and once protectors of lands that lay unblemished and untouched by society.

To distract her, Ben had held her for days, they shut themselves away in the cabin and he shared with her all that he knew, filling her with knowledge and tales of their history. He lavished her with words and stories that had been passed by word of mouth through the ages; none was more poignant than the Kenobi and Skywalker prophecy.

‘One of the sun and one of the moon, a Kenobi and Skywalker, each to be true. Blood of fire and blood of water, the two will heatedly join and smite the flouter. Together, united they will bring peace to the lands, the chosen ones, both will stand.’

Ben believed her to be the sun and him the moon. All her life she had been sun kissed, glowing year round thanks to her heritage through her father. Rey had told Ben of her father’s term of endearment, a sentiment Ben shared and how it was the last words Cassian had ever spoken.

It was a day that she clung to him especially hard, taking refugee in the junction of Ben’s neck, sheltered by his flowing hair.

Despite her grief, she found strength that while her father was gone and lost to the world, he lived on through her, both of her parents did. It was Jyn Kenobi’s eyes that Rey saw the world with; it was Cassian Andor’s soft, gentle smile that mirrored on her very own lips and offered assurance and calmness to her mate.

They were with her and she felt them, they were the gentle breeze that kept her cool at night and they were the songbirds that woke her in the morning.

Their spirits were very much alive.

The prophecy was a curious thing and there was no denying she saw both Ben and herself in the words. Ben was the moon, his passion the fire. Each had been virgins, a connotation of true when they had joined for the first time during her heat. Was Luke the flouter? The menace that they would smite to bring peace?

Of course, there came the possibility that they were not the chosen ones but it was quickly dismissed, the pair chose to hope and not dwell in darkness.

For days, Rey’s nights had been mostly dreamless; she slept undisturbed by the promise of her death. When she did dream, it was of Ben, of the night they met in the water, their reunion and sins of their past forgotten. It only cemented Ben’s belief that while he was the fire of the two, she was one with water and she could not argue as it had always called to her.

The dream had to mean something, their heated embrace replayed constantly, standing the test of time as the memory refused to fade.

It was a Saturday and she lay sprawled over the expanse of the firm planes of Ben’s chest, even in sleep, he supported her, he was the warmth to dull the coldness that creeped at the edges of her psyche. The birds had woken her and she did not begrudge the height of the songs, she enjoyed the peace that came with awakening before all.

The rise and fall of Ben’s chest and the steady tune of his mighty heart soothed her, it was a balm to her soul and she smiled, ghosting his flesh with hot little breaths and rosy lips.

Appreciating the quiet moment of dawn, she draped her arm over her lover, brushing her fingertips along his firm bicep and then across until she painted his middle with her fingertips. She left no marks save for the fleeting warm imprints unseen to the eye. It was a slow little dance ending at the sheet draped over his hips; it was a muted blue and complimented the paleness of his light skin beautifully.

The moon flared through him and he carried its glow in his flesh, spirit and mind. Like Polaris, Alpha Ursae Minoris, he shone brighter than the rest and anchored her, he was her north star. Wherever she roamed, he would be the one to guide her home, a true and most loving constant in her life.

Smiling, eyes bleary with sleep, she tilted her face upwards and appreciated his beauty, his sleeping face was a picture of serenity and innocence. Due to the welcome decline of her nightmares, both had fared far better than previous nights, their slumbering was uninterrupted by screams or disturbed by frantic holdings in the dark.

Long gone were the dark circles that had cut violet deeply below his eyes, he appeared youthful and fresh faced, something she found herself attracted to. Peeking at him once more, she assured herself that he was asleep so her admiration of him was unnoticed with a lovely sense of candidness, a rare occurrence.

Lazily, she trailed her finger along the sharp line of his jaw, freshly shaved the night before. She preferred him clean-shaven, his face bare for her, it showed off his features, the ones that exuded a regal appearance and finesse, no doubt inherited from his mother’s line as he displayed his fine breeding. The eyes were Leia’s, a rich cedar brown, they were endless pools but when they glowed crimson, they were representative of the dark and unending passion in his blood and they called to Rey.

They flayed her.

It was something she could not fathom but when crimson met gold, the alpha gazed into the eyes of his omega, there was an ethereal feel to it all as if they were something more, something unseen and perhaps they were the chosen ones.

Observing the scar that bisected his face, she found herself liking it more. Both had marked the other unjustly and they bore the scars but both had come to love them and wear with them pride.

A part of her, a wild instinctual creature within her, rejoiced that while his scar was a sign of her anger, it was also a sign of her passion. She would kiss it everyday if it meant relieving the guilt.

So she did just that, leaning even closer to him, she shifted, slithering upwards until her mouth brushed his jawline. She took her time lavishing him with attention; he tasted of pine and the natural masculine scent he exuded, it dizzied her, she was intoxicated by all things him. Nosing his inky tresses, she basked in the firewood fragrance that cradled them and inhaled, humming sweetly, the vibrations tickled her throat and tongue.

The scar was of her doing so she pressed soft kisses there, almost as if willing it to close but also to remain as it was.

It was earned and he carried it with pride. She flattened her tongue and licked the length of it, leaving a hot trail of saliva there. It added to the sheen of his sleep-fevered skin, his warmness was something she would never tire of it; it drew her to him, a most remedying relief in her life.

Below her, Ben’s eye twitched, a tell tale sign of his impending awakening. Using her undisturbed time wisely, she opened her legs further and adjusted herself; she moved atop him, her hips bracketed his waist. Using his long torso as support, she lay her palms flat on his middle, the taut muscles of his stomach clenched below her as Ben blinked up at her. The sun streamed in from the window behind her, bathing her in a halo of gold.

Both were nude and bare to the other.

His eyes adjusted in time, a grin tugged at the corners of his plump mouth as she rolled her hips and moved against his hardening cock. She was already hot and wet, she was soaking him with the evidence of her want but if he was bothered by that, he showed no sign of caring. A part of him craved it, for her to decorate his skin in such a carnal way as she claimed what he had to offer.

All would know whom his body belonged to, her teeth marks were raised on his skin and her scent perfumed the entirety of him, both blending and bonding the two until their dying day.

Instead, he urged her on, his hands cradled her hips, he squeezed, hard and guided her movements as a brilliant blush rose in his cheeks. His nails dug into the firm flesh and she mewled, enjoying the dull spike of pain that he presented her with. For she was greedy, although she bore his mark upon her scenting gland and forearm and his scent rolled off her in waves, she wanted him to cover the expanse of her skin with evidence of his want, of their joining.

The light caught his usually caliginous eyes, brightening them considerably, they were like fresh soil after the rain or the bark that lined trees before it dried and its colour bleached.

Sitting up, he ascended to meet her; their chests met and were flush against the other, her soft breasts dragged against his hard pectoral muscles as his fingers carded through her locks, pulling him to her with some affable persuasion.

The kiss was gentle, like it was the first acquaintance of their lips, a shy meeting of two lovers destined to dance with the other, to hold one another and to cherish all that they were.

She dampened the seam of his lips, imploring him for entrance and she was rewarded, his breath was hot against her tongue and then she mingled, twirling her tongue with his in tender rotations.

Ben moaned, breathing new life into her, she shivered despite the heat, his sprawling hand left a trail of goose bumps as he splayed his hands from her hair downwards, caressing her waist.

Once again, she rocked against him, eyes fluttering shut as her clit rolled against a prominent vein and nudged against his cock head.

Gasping, she repeated the notion, this time with added pressure, she throbbed, her nipples hardened into rosy peaks, ones that demanded attention, and Ben was most attentive, he did not leave her wanting.

With a swivel of his own hips, he rubbed the length of himself against her slit, parting her folds as he wetted his cock more. Grinning, he tilted his neck and leaned downwards, palming her breast as he caught the dusky pink bud in his mouth. He sucked hard, jolting her forwards but he steadied her with a firm grasp of her waist, his thumb brushed the outline of her ribcage.

Breathing through her nose, she peered downwards, observing Ben’s messy curls crowning her chest and sinfully pink tongue swirling around her nipple. Heavy with his affection, he alternated between sucking and pinching it between his forefinger and thumb, just how Rey liked it. He drove her flaming body higher as warmth blossomed in her naval and lower.

Rey’s body was flooded with sensations, her head fell back as Ben dipped his hand between the two of them and pressed his middle finger against and then inside her. There was no resistance, she welcomed all of him, she had been ready for him long before then.

Smiling, Rey clung to him once more for support, digging her nails into his shoulder until she drew red but Ben was incensed, pumping into her with a voiceless fervour that spoke volumes. His palm slapped against her folds as he curled it upwards and she keened, the wet slaps of his calloused flesh against the smoothness of her own was a stimulating and most tantalising sound.

They needed this, this small minute of comfort to heal, to feel nothing but one another and together they soared, leaving the darkness behind them.

“You’re such a good, little omega, Rey, waking me up like this. Did you want to have your way with me?” He growled against the column of her throat, suckling a sweet indigo blossom there, right above her mating gland.

“Yes,” she admitted.

The answer was cut short by the admittance of another finger into her heated core and then in quick succession, she was taking three and still begging for more.

Ben nudged his knees apart and Rey was splayed atop of him, spread, just how he wanted. With this new angle, she could accommodate him further; she rested back, palms squeezing his knees and arched her bark, her head rolled to the side, her long locks brushed against Ben’s thighs.

Promptly, his hand found that curve and supported her while the other ceased all movements; she withheld a whine despite her growing need for friction.

“Look at you, Rey, you’re beautiful,” he crooned, praising her with pretty words and generous touches.

As an omega, it settled deep within her and she flourished with pride, she was pleasing him, her alpha was satisfied and no other showed their satisfaction like Ben did.

Ben’s fingers danced along the opening of her mouth, wet with her arousal. After a moment of dragging it along the fullness of them, he parted her lips and slid them further inwards until she swallowed them whole.

“Do you like the taste of your own cunt, Rey?”

It was a crude usage of words but it only incited her to clench her thighs closer together as she jostled upon him, in dire need of him to take her. The words were contrasting of his soft-spoken tone and sweet nothings that he whispered to her heart.

Curling her tongue around around his digits, she sucked them, lapping up what he offered her with a reverence. There was no lie in her answering nod, it was erotic and filthy to taste herself but at the same time, it felt right, a natural part of mating.

There was no deciphering the end of one and the beginning of the other when the two were were joined like this.

The outside world did not matter, not when they had one another.

“You taste sublime, I could bury myself between your thighs for the rest of my days,” he whispered as he retracted his fingers ever so slowly from her mouth, making sure he smeared the insides of her cheeks with every last honeyed drop.

“I need you,” she panted and attempted to rouse him, she rotated her hips and lifted upwards, she ached for him to align himself and skewer her.

“I want you to ride me, omega. You wanted to have your way with me, so do it.”

The command was something that thrilled her. She had wanted to take him that way, to sit upon him and exert some control over him. In the back of her mind, she knew that it was a power play; he was gifting her sexual dominance despite his natural inclination to lead.

She could not deny him.

Ben lay backwards, his head propped on the pillow, his back flat against the rumpled and cooling sheets. Splayed hands found her hips once more; he secured his hold on her as she changed her position.

It was Rey who took a firm hold of his cock to which Ben growled, his teeth poked at his bottom lip and she used that reaction to guide her onwards. More than ready, she stroked the length of him, it was coated in her own slick and glistening and she was enamoured but she was also impatient and in need of him to fill that empty spot within her.

Breathing through her nose, she leaned forward, one hand splayed across his abdomen for balance and brought herself upwards and down towards his weeping cock.

She sunk down on it with practiced grace, swallowing the head with ease so she released her hold on it and used the downward momentum to take him fully.

It was a delicious squeeze, a fullness that almost felt like too much but at the same time, not enough. She wondered if she would ever have her fill of Ben but it was dismissed, no matter how many times she had him, he would always leave her wanting and desperate for more.

Rey was insatiable.

Burying him to the hilt, her thighs slapped his; their hips both met the other.

“Ben,” she panted, the air left her lungs as she sat perched, his fingertips left crescent moon indentations on her sides.

She raised herself up off the length and took him again, circling her hips as she made the climb time and time again. Ben’s hands dropped to his sides, he fisted the sheets as his knuckles bleached shell white, all the while thrusting upwards to meet her movements.

Together they danced, it was a heated and fast waltz, anything but elegant as the tempo increased and Rey bobbed up and down, her firm breasts bounced high on her chest. They were too tempting to Ben to go untouched, he cupped them and thumbed her nipples, the calloused digit grazed the hardened buds and sent a fire downwards.

Under his fingers, she was fast becoming undone, the stimulation surged through her and so she heaved upwards once more, slamming back down as she pondered how Ben managed to work her like this, despite her maintaining control.

The man in question was flushed below her, smoothing one hand against her toned stomach; his eyes were flaming, flickering between cedar and crimson. It was a battle for acknowledgement and breakthrough. Was it Ben or Kylo below her? The two halves of him, both whom she cherished but each called to her in different ways.

Finally, his eyes settled into the crimson sheen and it was her mate below her, the creature within him flared through.

Something occurred to her then. While she had known that his inner wolf was named Kylo and addressed as such by others of the pack, she had never breathed the name aloud or called to him with it.

Smiling to herself, she sat straighter as she rode him.

“Kylo,” she whispered, gazing at him from behind her lashes, Ben’s eyes were half lidded but at that moment they snapped open and he gripped her hips so tight that all movement of the two came to a standstill.

His crimson orbs bored into her soul, a most heady penetration and shifted, darkening into a wicked gleam.

Rey held her breath, unsure if she should have called to him in that way but as she did, she felt the familiar change of her own eyes, it was purely instinctual and the wolf within her made her presence known, she presented herself to her alpha, an omega in waiting of him. A golden hue from her wide eyes bathed the hair that had fallen across her face and it was stringy gold.

“Say it again,” he said, his voice was gravelly, a restrained timber and a basic notice of a collision, a fall to to the earth.

Pleasure rippled through her and she felt the slick between her legs roll and cling to her quivering thighs and drench him some more.

“Kylo,” she breathed, it was as if she had always called him that name, it was easy, like breathing.

“Yes,” was his reply, those flaming eyes shone and his lips curled upwards, revealing his teeth.

It was not a kind smile; it was wicked with the promise of what was to come.

“Does my little omega want me to fuck her?”

Rey nodded.

“Use your words, Kira.”

The reaction was instantaneous and came to her thick and fast, the thrill of her omega’s name upon his lips; he recognised her and coaxed her outwards like no other.

“Please, Kylo,” she whimpered, already missing how his cock moved inside of her, the pull and drag of his length against her tight, textured walls.

Kylo did not answer with his words.

In a second, their positions were reversed and only for a second did she manage to mourn the loss of him easing the aches within her.

His hulking body loomed over her, pinning her dainty wrists above her head with a firm curling of his fingers around them.

Nudging her knees apart, he spread them and crowned her hips with his own as he plunged back inside of her, this time unleashing his hold on the beast within which was limited whenever he was like this, he was ravenous and wild. A man hovered above her but his drive was purely instinctual, the beast clawed his way from the inside out as he rutted into his mate.

His groans and snarls were animalistic, much more reminiscent of his wolf and entirely contrasting of the gentle man she knew him to be away from the sheets.

Kira screamed, her lascivious cries only incensed Kylo more; he panted above her nipple and then nipped it, dragging his teeth for a moment before he clamped down, tugging it. She bucked upwards but he grounded her, impaling her with his cock as he consumed all she was.

“You like this, don’t you? You like being fucked like the needy little omega you are, Kira. You want me to take you and fuck you with abandon,” Kylo growled, driving into her so deep that it was certain that the two were not two beings but one.

Releasing her wrists, Kylo did not wait for the answer; the words were more for his own benefit. Kira wrapped her arms around him, shredding his back as she clung to him; all she could do was hold on, entirely at his mercy as he drove home.

“Yes,” she mouthed the words into the crook of his neck and she planted open-mouthed kisses there tasting salt and pine, he was drenched in sweat but it was sweet to her, a show of his effort to please.

All he was, enticed her, she was addicted and in need of a constant dose of him, his fire lit her veins with just a slither of the raw passion entombed within him and so she burned, only ever for him.

Moaning as Kylo upped his relentless pace, she dug the heels of her feet into the back of his thighs, she lay back upon the bed, releasing him from her hold.

Kylo did not let her go, he swarmed downwards and stole the breath straight from her lips and kissed her, hard. She was sure she would feel him there for days after, when she ran her fingers along the length of them; she would feel tender and ripe.

Kira’s bloodied fingernails moved from the wide expanse of his back, brushing along the sharp curves of his shoulder blades before landing in his raven tresses. She tugged, pulling as he licked her lip and then bit down, just enough to draw blood. Groaning, he sucked it up and pressed a bloody kiss to the corner of her mouth. The border between pleasure and pain was a thin one and these two exploited it, walking along that edge, both were not afraid to fall, in fact, a part of them hoped they did.

Kira was close, her stomach tensed as his cock brushed that sacred spot inside of her, the one only he could touch with his expertly fingers or with a shift of his hips in the right direction. Her body was a map he had long since memorised; he discovered what brought about her pleasure and coaxed it in delightful ways.

“I feel how close you are, Kira, stop holding on, let go,” he whispered, a demanding statement that refused to be ignored.

Flustered, she gulped, raising her head and she faced him once more, his face was slick with perspiration and his eyes untamed, her heart was close to bursting as it pumped ferociously, a carnal tune to their movements.

If she thought she could ignore his words, she was lost when he pressed his thumb against her hardened clit, so sensitive, she yelped, a slither of his tongue berthed his cherry lips as he grinned.

“Let go,” he growled and he increased the pressure, rotating his thumb in tight little circles, aided by the abundant arousal she coated all with.

Kira howled as he pummelled her harder than before, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she released her primal scream and woke the day. Convulsing, she climaxed, clenching and fluttering around his cock, which hastened his own release, he thrust a handful of times before he spilled inside of her and collapsed downwards.

Back were Rey and Ben.

Rey breathed hard, enjoying the heavy weight of him on top of her. It was crushing but the closeness was highly sought after, she wanted no space between the two of them, he was all she ever wanted to feel.

Ben eventually rose up on his elbows, supporting his own weight and Rey could breathe again but his scent was heavy and all she could taste.

“I love you, Rey,” his eyes shifted to his cedar.

“I love you, Ben,” she whispered as she met his lips once more, a fulfilled and strengthened woman.

* * *

It was decided the next day that they would continue living in the cabin. While Luke managed to invade it, it was because the blood that flowed through him was the same as Ben’s. The stones protected lines, such a contradiction of Luke.

It was still the safest option for them, it kept all others out.

Rey still felt the place had been tarnished; the dark stains where her blood had been spilled were a stoic reminder that more of her blood had been shed in the last few weeks than it had been in her whole life.

Still, she sat as she waited for Ben to conclude dressing and stared at the one where she had fallen after Luke had so crudely tore the arrow from her shoulder. Ben was there to catch her but it had rained down and her blood had soaked the wood and sunk into the very foundation of the porous material.

Their promise to kill Luke was bound in blood and so his fate was sealed. They would not be deterred.

The wounds from that day had all healed, the wound to her shoulder was quite slow in doing so and after, she was left with a ravaged circular scar, the silver forever blemishing her skin.

Absentmindedly, she skimmed over it, half expecting to feel a painful twinge or scorching burn but there was nothing, no remnant of pain or even a shallow ache. The only wound he left was in her heart, which continued to pump its poison into her mind; it was the toxic knowledge that he had slaughtered her parents yet spared her.

The wound festered and the darkness curled, the need for penance called to her but she did not allow it to consume her, she balanced herself with the goodness her grandfather instilled in and reminded herself of his values and the light that radiated from Ben.

It was justice.

The sun filtered through the front room and Rey angled her face towards the light as it touched her, accepting its warm embrace.

Indeed, her parents lived on in that sense.

“Rey,” Ben stood next to her and offered his hand, dressed casually in jeans, a white undershirt and plaid shirt, coloured navy blue.

It was an oddity to see him dressed down like this, she was used to impeccably tailored suits with designer labels or him entirely bare before her.

Entwining her fingers with his, he pulled her up and the two of exited the cabin. They made quick work of the journey to his parent’s cabin, the winding nature trails were clear and easy to follow, the foliage was not too thick to navigate through.

Rey had not seen his parents since the full moon and she was admittedly nervous. Not only had she fought with their adopted son, she had also come face to face with Leia’s estranged twin brother and suffered his wrath.

It was an awkward situation, Ben had explained it the best he could. Leia and Luke would occasionally make contact with one another, Luke had warned her of attacks perpetrated by hunters in the area in the past. Leia had never been able to shake the ghost of her brother, the man he had been, so despite the monstrosities and lives he had taken, she clung to the idea that his soul was salvageable, that there was still light in him.

Rey was unsure if she could look the woman in the eyes; her brother had killed her parents despite fulfilling their final plea. The woman stood by or at least fought for a man who deserved no forgiveness, he was unrepentant and would not sway or forget his mission.

Luke wanted to end the bloodlines, which had to include his own sister. He had nearly squeezed the life out of Rey with his bare hands; he was the definition of unhinged and vicious like a rabid dog who needed to be put down.

Now, Rey had to face his twin with the knowledge that she would act as executioner and bury Luke herself. There was also the information that Snoke had shared. It had almost been forgotten amongst the carnage. Somewhere inside, Rey did not believe that Han and Leia had overthrown her grandfather and forced him away. At the same time, she would have never thought that Leia would communicate with a bloodthirsty monster.

Then there was the oddity of Luke’s apparent failure to realise that Jyn was an omega. Dr Snoke had confirmed that she had been and naturally, Rey trusted the fact as she was an omega. Surely, she had inherited it from her mother. Yet Luke had called her the first omega he had come across since his mother. Had her own mother found some way to fool the old hunter? Rey thought of the suppressants and Wolfsbane used to stunt her own development and presentation. Could Jyn have used them too?

If Luke ever returned the trunk, she knew she would find answers there and she had cursed herself more than once for not throwing herself into investigating when she had the chance.

Her freehand skimmed her chest, without her pendant she felt less like herself, the Kenobi pendant was something she had always worn, it was an extension of her identity. She had traced the family motto countless times.

_“Kenobi’s are strong, we will never break.”_

She would live by the words.

Ben squeezed Rey’s hand as they had arrived at the cabin, Leia and Han were at the door to meet them and so she channeled the strength and observed Leia, meeting her gaze.

The woman stood tall despite her tiny height, shoulders back and chin high, she was dignity and grace personified despite the grief that had quite obviously weighed her down. The woman was torn in two by the abduction of her daughter and then her son’s departure. Hux’s decision to leave the pack was most likely hurting her too.

It was hard for Rey to hold her gaze, she wanted to comfort the woman but also confront her about her odd loyalty to her brother.

“Rey, I can’t express how sorry I am that my brother hurt you, I never thought he could hurt you, not with you being family,” Leia said, wringing her hands in front of her.

Her nails were long and rings adjourned every finger and so Rey levelled their gaze to them, not quite sure how to reply.

“He nearly killed her,” Ben spoke then, his voice was sharp and unlike the warmness he had offered his mother when Rey was introduced to her.

Han looked on wearily, his brow creased as he sighed heavily. He clasped one of Leia’s hands with his own.

“Ben-” Han began but he was quickly interrupted.

“-No. His behaviour has been overlooked for too long and you can’t continue your contact with him, mother,” he turned and faced his Leia then, his chest heaved.

The silence that followed was tense; Leia peered between Rey and Ben.

“I know but his mind, it isn’t sound-”

Rey spoke up then.

“-He killed my parents and then he nearly killed me. He shot me down, tortured me and then strangled me. If Ben hadn’t have shown up, your brother would have killed another Kenobi,” she was calm with her deliverance and Ben’s hand tightened around hers.

When she was finished, she looked up at him. He was proud of her but also anguished of the reminder of how close he had came to losing her.

Leia blinked and swiftly turned, retreating into the cabin as she broke, her sobs were muffled but heard by them all.

Han appeared exasperated but it was Ben who moved to comfort his mother, despite everything, he loved her dearly and could not allow her to suffer.

“Let me,” he said quietly, jogging up the steps and went in search of his mother.

Rey and Han were left to converse.

“If it means anything, I am sorry. I am glad to hear you Kenobi’s are still strong though, there is no breaking you,” he joked, only half his heart in the joke.

The tension elevated and Rey offered him a gentle smile at the mention of the family motto. They had not been forgotten by the pack.

As she ascended the stairs, Han wrapped his arm around her and ushered in.

“We will not break,” she said softly.

Han showed her to their library while Ben and his mother spoke in private, Rey did not want to see Leia in pain but she did not want the woman to make excuses for her brother.

“So, I know you were researching more about our kind and I found this, it was Padme’s, Ben’s grandmother.”

The two sat at a small, square table and Rey accepted his offering. It was a small book; it was black and trimmed in gold borders with the sign of the omega decorating its lavish leather cover.

Rey’s hand trembled as she inspected it. A piece of history lay in her hands; it was something that had belonged to a woman whose courage and fire was known years after her death.

When Ben told her about Padme as they clung to one another, healing the only way they knew how, she knew where Ben inherited his true heart and courage. It was from a woman who loved and fought for the right to do so despite all who chased her.

Padme was a fighter to the end and Rey hoped that one day she would possess just an ounce of the dead woman’s will, as that would see her through the shadows.

“It belongs to you now, an omega should always have ownership of it,” Han said, patting the back of her hand, it was meant to comfort her and it did.

Rey thumbed the spine, running her nail along the length of it and traced the creases there. It was well read but impeccably kept and obviously loved by all who had owned it previously.

“I can’t accept it, maybe Leia should have it,” it was her first thought, it spilled from her mouth without much consideration. Leia’s mother had been the last to hold the book so it seemed like a natural progression.

“Leia is an alpha who has no use for the knowledge of omegas. Besides, she has read it,” Han assured her and smiled, his stubbly face lit up.

Rey thought better of arguing with him. This was the leader of the pack, a pack she now belonged to and that sense of belonging was fresh.

He stood and dragged his knuckles along the polished, wooden table, knocking each one for good measure.

“I will leave you to it, I have a feeling Ben and Leia will be a while and you should read it alone. If they ask, I will be out back with Chewie and Lando; they just gathered a weapon shipment.”

Han’s eyes and demeanour as a whole brightened at the mention of weapons and Rey knew that this man carried a wealth of mischievous tales, tales she found herself wanting to know more about.

With that, he disappeared from view and the closing of a door signalled his departure from the house. With her transformation and bond to Ben, her hearing was keen but she tried her best to mute the talk of mother and son and allowed them privacy.

She admired Han, he did not defend Luke and he did not hover, in some ways, he reminded her of her grandfather. Han had called Old Ben one of his closest friends and for a moment, she imagined the two laughing or sharing a beer by the campfire.

Why had her grandfather left them all?

Rey was unsure if she would ever understand his reasonings but she hoped that he had left her answers.

With a gentle handling, she opened the book, it squeaked open and she inhaled, noting its old and timely scent. It crossed her mind that perhaps Padme’s scent lay upon the pages, she brought the work, its words loopy, handwritten with thick, yellowing pages, and sniffed. Underneath it all, a scent of roses touched her and she hoped it was Padme, that somehow she would guide her in this journey.

A table of contents confronted her; she traced the list until one stopped her movements and quietly stunned her.

_‘Premonitions.’_

The blood rushed in her ears as she scrambled to find the pages covering the topic, throughout it all, she was mindful to handle the book with care, it was old. When she found the section, she studied it voraciously, reading the passages repeatedly until she near enough memorised them.

After realising the truth, she closed the book and dropped her head into her hands as she exhaled heavily. The words did not surprise her but it was a tough pill to swallow, not only was she an omega but she was one who experienced visions, the power of the dying faction.

Her dreams had never been just dreams, she was right all along. Omegas were often gifted with the power of sight, of premonitions and vivid visions of both past and future times.

The only thing Rey struggled with was how to discern what were visions and what were innocent dreams concocted by her mind?

More often than not, they presented themselves in the form of dreams and were often mistaken as just that but waking visions, when they were conscious, were not unheard of. They were rare.

Future visions were more common than ones of the past were and it was the confirmation she needed to hear.

Someone was going to try hurt her and Ben; he would fall to his knees after darts hit the both of them. She would run, fulfilling his final plea to her before he lost consciousness. Running for her life, she would be lost in the woods and pursued by wolves in the dark that ended with Dr Snoke confronting her.

Worst of all, the dream that had haunted her most of all, would likely come to fruition. A figure in the dark would stab her and she would collapse, screaming for Ben in the dark as her blood spilled in rivers. A fatal wound that could mean the end of her.

No.

The future could be changed, it was said that all relied on actions and she would not fall into the trap. If she worked hard enough, she could alter her fate.

Shaken but confident more than ever in her ability to take control of her life and use the visions to her advantage, she weighed her options. Deep in thought, she worried her bottom lip, still raw from Ben’s teeth.

A slamming of a door jolted her and concluded all thinking and she rose to meet them, expecting Han’s return.

“Han, Leia? Anyone in? I’m back.”

Rey frowned, certain that she had misheard. Curious, she walked into the hallway and came face to face with the man she had long called brother.

Poe Dameron stood there, apparently just as shocked to see her.

The pair gawked at one another and Rey inhaled, edging closer, Poe did the same.

“You’re a wolf!” They both yelled in unison.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I thank the people who continue to support me in this, I treasure your comments and thoughts <3
> 
> I hope this somewhat lighter chapter makes up for the heaviness of previous chapters.
> 
> But I need to move on with my antagonistic plots and move full steam ahead now.


	19. Reversal

Both were startled, if not somewhat bewildered. They stood examining one another before Poe moved forward and Rey met him halfway, embracing him just as she always had. She bunched the back of his familiar jacket in tight fists as she clung to him. It was like coming home.

Poe was her kin, despite the lack of blood shared between them, which was inconsequential and of little importance. For years, he adopted the role of brother and of course, she embraced the unconditional love he had offered, they were kindred spirits and therefore close. Their closeness had been questioned and others hinted romanticism to them, but they knew it was a different kind of love. It came from an innocent place of wanting to belong and to build a family as their own was scarce and they often found themselves lonely. They supported one another through everything, even during times of hardship where they promptly disregarded the efforts of others to reach out.

It was Poe who had held her as she screamed and wailed that day the year before when she found her grandfather collapsed in the rose garden and already cold despite the warmth of the morning sun. Rey had fallen to her knees and screamed. It was a wild thing from a place deep within her shattered heart; it was unleashed as she urged Old Ben to wake as she screamed that he could not leave her alone, not yet. There was no stirring him, surrounded by songbirds and pink roses; he left the world, finally knowing the true meaning of peace.

Rey took comfort in the notion that he might have been reunited with his beloved daughter, Jyn, just as she hoped to be when her own life ended. Little by little, Poe had pieced her together and offered companionship when she wanted nothing more than to withdraw and suffer in silence. No, he had not allowed that. Ben had been there too in a different capacity; he offered her reprieve at work and ensured that she kept well; he drove her home on the days she had not slept and her eyes failed her as the workday ended and kept her belly full during her lunch hour.

Both had been the ones to coax her back from the cliff edge of sick grief and uncertainty. The loss had near ruined her but together, they ensured she did not crumble and fall; they kept her from being swept away to sea and drowning in the riptide, she did not fall to the ocean bed like a dead weight. Instead, she surfaced, lighter than ever.

Now, Poe held her differently, she would not need to hide anything from him as he was quite like her, sharing the same draw to the moon, they were children of the pale giant and the sense of kinship between them only increased.

Closing her eyes, she rested her head upon his leather-clad shoulder and heaved out a shaky breath. The action was easy, Poe was only an inch taller than she was, it was comfortable.

Inhaling once more, she registered his scent. It was quite overwhelming and rather unlike what her lover’s fragrance offered. Ben was all pine and firewood, whereas Poe fared more like spice, a sweet cinnamon with a citrusy tone, like ripe oranges. Underneath it all, there was the unmistakable, heady essence that defined all wolves; an earthy scent that clung to them like a second skin like salt did to the earth.

“How did this happen to you, Rey? I knew your grandfather was a wolf but he forbid me to discuss this with you. He assured me you were human,” Poe asked, he was clearly stricken as he smoothed his palm along the length of her spine.

It was familiar and solacing, reminiscent of all the times he had soothed her before then.

It struck Rey then that while her grandfather had always been cordial with Poe, he had never quite fully warmed to him and often dismissed the man’s attempts at kindness. It made sense now that she was enlightened, Old Ben had guarded the secret of whom he truly was which extended to what she was and Poe threatened that with his very presence.

“It’s a long story,” Rey mumbled, chuckling softly as his hold on her tightened.

A throat cleared behind them and she unwrapped herself from Poe and turned, finding Ben and Leia observing the pair. The reception was not entirely warm; in fact, there was frost there, at least in Ben’s stance and the way he beat his fists in a lazy lull on his thighs.

Rey thought she caught something in the flare of Ben’s eyes, his taut jaw tensed, the muscle worked under the skin before he relaxed and he smoothed his features into an impassive mask.

Was he jealous? It was something she had never seen of Ben but as she stared at him and they locked gazes, she was certain that the green-eyed monster had taken possession of his body. With a sharp, but gentle push, he nudged her from his mind and closed it tight. Obviously, she respected his right to privacy but it unnerved her.

“Yes, it seems we have much to discuss,” Ben said quietly as he averted his gaze from Rey, to the man who stood next to her.

“We do,” Poe echoed cooly, as if registering Ben’s jealousy, he draped an arm around Rey’s shoulder and pulled her to him.

She rolled her eyes; Poe was never one against provocation.

The four of them sat in the council room, spread out around the circular table. Outside, the booming voices of Han, Chewie and Lando rang inwards but Leia thought the conversation was nothing they had not heard before so their presence was not required.

After all, the men outside were attending to pressing matters and strategising how to arm the pack, no one had forgotten that two women were missing from their ranks. Not a day went by without at least the whisper of their names.

Rey was the one to reveal all, at least from her perspective. It began with the night of her attack and during that time, Ben levelled his gaze to the floor. Poe had expressed his remorse and disdain for his lack of presence as she went through the changes.

“I should’ve been here; I would’ve helped you, Rey.”

She appreciated his words but at the same time, if Poe had been the one to walk that path with her, it would have ended in a destination that might have not included her mating with Ben.

Fate had thrown them their cards, each had been dealt a heavy hand but they had made the best of what was offered and came out as victors.

Ben moved then, the skid of his chair squealed across the hardwood below as he draped his arm around Rey’s petite frame.

“I was here.”

The declaration was loaded with an air of dominance and possessiveness to which Rey responded to with ease as she leaned into his taut bicep.

Here, his scent rolled off him in waves, the mixture of the two, firewood met the salty tang of the ocean and pine blended with the sweet scent of daisies. It was a fragrant alliance, pure evidence of their consummated mating and it wafted around the room, cradling all who inhabited the space. It was intended as a message, an unmistakable one, as Ben’s own feelings intensified like the hold around her.

Of course, it was foolish and unnecessary, all could see that she was claimed by only one man but a part of him threatened off Poe as if he were another who fought for her romantic affections.

Despite the tension radiating from Ben, Rey was quietly inspirited by his protectiveness and how how his instincts took hold of him and made him much more than just a man. More often than not, the calm and quiet man she had desired for years sat by her side but the one underneath that, his alpha, Kylo, thrilled her more than she would ever plainly admit.

Poe regarded Ben for a moment before offering his reply, the barest hint of a smile tugged at his full lips and it was hard not to catch the mischievous gleam that appeared in his wide, rich coffee eyes.

Apparently, Poe was unfazed by Ben’s brutish display.

“Rey and I are rather familiar with one another; we have seen each other through a great deal of situations. Although you saw her through it, perhaps someone she was more familiar with should have helped her,” Poe explained carefully.

Ben was up on his feet and leaned across the table, a finger pointed straight at Poe. It was a warning.

“I understand the two of you are close but no one was better suited to guide her through this than me,” he muttered lowly, he dropped his hands and splayed them across the rich mahogany.

Poe smiled and inclined his head, offering a nod and a lazy shrug.

“Calm down, Ben. Rey is my sister; I do not see her in the same light as you do.”

Rey chuckled then, Ben’s shoulders dropped as he visibly relaxed and she tugged at his forearm, curling her fingers around it until he sat once again.

Even Leia lit up for a moment and offered a knowing smile; it seemed a flair for the dramatics were a family trait.

“Ben, really, there was no need for that. Plus, we all know Poe keeps busy with his two companions,” she admonished and scolded her son as if he was but a boy.

“Yes, Rose and Finn keep me very busy,” Poe winked at Ben, flashing a wide grin in his direction.

Rey groaned, unwilling to think of her friends and their sexual escapades, she rested her head on Ben’s shoulder; her hair fell in chestnut waves over his chest.

“Okay, Poe, I get it. No one needs to hear of your activities outside of the pack,” Ben grimaced as Poe wiggled his eyebrows at him to which Leia smiled at.

Rey shifted her sights back to Poe wishing his appearance had not come at such a troubling time.

“You couldn’t have known what happened to me. Moreover, Ben saw me through it all. Trust me when I say this was what I needed, it brought us together,” Rey explained, her fingers found purchase on Ben’s thigh and she squeezed.

Ben’s reverie was broken and he curled his hand over her own, it was a simple gesture but Rey hoped that he was not suffering under the weight of that night. Their torment was something she wished to end but there was no doubt that Poe had riled those old feelings when he asked for an explanation of all he had missed.

Leia took on the role of informer after Rey laid everything out. The older woman offered an insight to all the mishaps that followed the pack.

By the end of it all, Poe was visibly distraught. Leia had been the one to tell him of the abductions. Poe was particularly close with Kaydel and so he excused himself for a moment before he returned with his eyes bloodshot and wet.

He seemed mostly unfazed about Hux and Phasma leaving the pack, apparently, there was no love lost between them but Rey noticed the change in Leia’s demeanour. It was hard to witness; one child had been taken while the other had left and not entirely by his own accord. There was very little room for doubt, if Rey and Hux had not clashed, he would have remained loyal and true to the pack, at least, that is what she had presumed Leia thought.

While she carried some of the blame, it did not escape her mind that long before her showdown with Hux, Ben had his own suspicions of his brother, despite how it hurt him. The concentrated efforts that Ben had taken to ensure Hux’s loyalty could not have been expressed enough.

If Hux were a traitor, it would act as the final nail in Leia’s coffin. Already, she was entombed, her mouth and throat full of grave soil, it seeped into every throaty breath heaved from her tired body. A ghost sat in the woman’s place and played pretend, her eyes bore no real life, the light flickered but the winds were strong with the promised threat of extinguishing all in its path.

Once again, Rey found it difficult to begrudge Leia, it was impossible to imagine her suffering. Still cradled against Ben, she offered her hand out; unsure if the woman would accept her sign of forgiveness and peace. Someone had to uncover her, dig her up from the grave she dwelled in and offer some fresh air, untainted by the darkness that had consumed her.

Like a moth to the flame, Leia welcomed the light, the courtesy that Rey had offered. At first, it surprised her but she curled her slender fingers around Leia’s, brushing the rings that adjourned her digits.

Rey gazed at her and looked at her, really looked at her. Everything about Ben’s mother whispered of the strength within. She was the image of a true alpha, fierce but graceful, Ben had undoubtedly inherited more than just her eyes.

Those eyes burned, the flame was still there and she hoped when they ignited again, she would rise and touch the sky where no one would remember the shadow that had taken her place during this time.

Her hold on Leia’s hand did not falter, not even when she produced the small book that had once belonged to a woman responsible for half the life in the room.

“There is one final thing I need to share with you all.”

Ben and Poe’s quiet conversing of strategy ended and all eyes were on her, a testament of respect.

“As we are all aware, omegas have been dwindling for years now. I find myself in a difficult place as I know so little but this book, the one that belonged to Padme, has enlightened me to something I knew to be true all along.”

“Rey,” Ben breathed out, gone was all his prior jealously, it was replaced with fear.

She faced him then, unwilling to break or allow her flow to end. The words would likely hurt him and she took no pleasure in reciting them.

“While alphas are gifted with unending strength and the power of telepathy, some of us possess other gifts.”

Leia glanced down at their adjoined hands and Rey realised she likely knew of her gift after all, she had read her mother’s book.

“What power, Rey?” Poe asked, it was odd to see such a serious expression take hold of his usually beaming face, most of her memories of him included his gleeful smile and boisterous laughter.

Rey closed her eyes for a moment and inhaled, despite her newfound strength, Ben’s reaction to the words was something that threatened a torrid spillage of tears.

“Omegas are often gifted with the power of premonition. Such visions usually manifest in dreams.”

“No,” Ben choked beside her, shaking his head as if he could make her words untrue.

Rey’s lip quivered as she continued.

“I have foreseen events that I believe will become true unless I actively work to change them.”

All was quiet and the tension trickled into the room, offering a coldness, like ice, it took hold of them all.

“What did you see, Rey?”

“My first vision came to me the day after the attack and it continued a few weeks ago. People will come for Ben and me. We are both hit with something, darts and Ben falls. He begs me to run and I do but, I am surrounded by other a wolves. I believe they are led by a man who was once a friend of my grandfather’s.”

“Snoke,” Leia muttered.

Rey nodded, unsurprised she knew of him. After all, her father had been Old Ben’s closest friend and Snoke seemed to shadow them both, he was always on the sidelines in photos, looking on at Anakin and Ben as they grew.

“I believe I will be taken, abducted like the others.”

Ben shook beside her, his hold on her hand is bruising, he would not allow her to disappear.

“We can stop this from happening; we can make sure you two are never in that position,” Leia offered, finding her voice.

“Perhaps but there is more.”

“What?” Poe asked.

Rey locked gazes with Ben and found tears lining his eyes; it was as if they were her own.

“I believe I have witnessed my death. Someone stabbed me in the dark, I fall and scream for Ben but he is not there. The wound, it is too vicious, I do not believe I survive it.”

Chaos erupted then.

Ben stood with a primal scream, it was inhuman and ragged and wretched deep from his breaking heart.

“No! That will not happen,” he roared and his chair collapsed behind him, it crashed and landed with a mighty thud.

Reaching for the chair, his hold on it was brief before he threw it at a nearby wall, it shattered and shards and splinters flew everywhere.

“We can change the future,” Poe proclaimed, rising up to meet him.

Ben was gone and in his place, Kylo raged. While Rey had seen him impassioned before, she had never been a witness to the destruction such deep feelings could encourage.

Breathing deeply, she stood and Leia sent her a knowing look as she shook her head but surely, she did not mean for her to stand and do nothing.

Ignoring the advice, Rey swarmed forward, just as Kylo gripped Poe’s shoulders and pushed him up against the wall, he lifted him off the ground.

“I cannot lose her,” Kylo growled out, it was a torn proclamation, a man who was scared of losing all that he held dear.

Rey knew of his grandfather, of the madness that consumed him after the loss of his wife and Ben, Ben was confronted with the real possibility of suffering the same fate. It was a cruel cycle that none wanted to be a part of.

Poe allowed him to hold him in place as Kylo’s ragged breaths sounded the room; all was still as his knuckles whitened against leather.

“We will not let anything happen to her,” Poe spoke quietly and calm despite the beast that wrapped him up in his clutches.

It all happened incredibly fast from there, Kylo unhanded him and punched the wall above his head, his fist dove through the wood and he did not settle with one punch. Repeatedly, he tore into the wood until his knuckles were bloody and torn.

Rey allowed herself to cry then, not for herself, but for Ben.

She understood his pain, his agony. If she was confronted with even the thought of losing him, her world would cease to spin and she would spiral into a state that offered no room for reason.

Leia rounded upon the pair and pulled Poe away from the destruction. Rey was momentarily frozen to the spot as the grief washed her face.

Kylo burned hotter than before.

This man was nothing more than a beast, all remnants of Ben were buried and secured deep within as he struggled to battle with the confrontation of Rey’s words.

Not bothering to look back at her, Kylo disappeared up the stairs just as Han, Lando and Chewie traversed inside in time to witness the tail end of the storm.

Wordlessly, Rey followed, uncaring of the storm she walked willingly in to. She followed the wreckage, turned over plants whose soil was stamped into the floor and their pots cracked and splattered lead her way. There were some paintings torn from the walls, the art still in tact but glass and broken frames decorated the floor.

Moving forward, she held her breath as she arrived at the door he had run behind. For once, she was not the one to cower behind that barrier, she opened it without hesitation.

Inside, Kylo wailed as no man had ever done so before, his breaths were choked like he was gasping for air, he overturned a bed and Rey deciphered that this was his room in the house. He was a bull, untamed and let loose in a sacred place with plenty to destroy.

Sweat coated him; the back of his navy shirt was darkened black with the river of perspiration. Like a crazed man, he stilled and turned to face her, his eyes were wild and gleaming crimson.

For once, they did not entice her.

She knew what she had to do.

“Alpha,” she whispered.

Opening her arms, she approached him with caution but also with love and adoration in her heart and eyes. He worked his jaw and pressed his lips together.

“Omega,” he croaked, his face crumbled then, it contorted and reflected his true grief.

The crimson eyes bled tears as he calmed, opening his arms to her. She wasted no time in pressing herself taut against him and clung to him harder than she had ever done so before.

“I’m here,” she said softly, she repeated it more than once as his shoulders quaked as he voicelessly cried, drenching her shoulder in his tears.

After a while, he dropped to his knees and pressed his face against her stomach and looked up at her, his eyes had taken on their rightful colour and returned to the earthy tone she was used to.

Ben.

“I’m so sorry, Rey, you didn’t deserve to see that.”

Rey ran her hands through his damp locks, a tender act of comfort as her calming influence washed over him.

Only omegas could truly tame an alpha or bring them back from the brink, she understood that now. It was why Anakin’s madness had gone on, Padme was lost and no other could pull him back.

Rey would ensure she was always there for Ben, to offer him light when all he saw was black or red.

“It’s okay, Ben.”

Nuzzling his face closer to her, he breathed deeply against her exposed naval.

“I’m terrified, I cannot lose you, it would be the end of me,” he confessed, a broken confession from a splintered man.

Rey dropped to her knees and placed her hands on either side of his jaw. With a steely determination, she made him face her and fixed her eyes on his.

“I am yours; you will never truly lose me. We will fight to keep me by your side.”

Ben observed her, his wet, red cheeks glistened as the sun filtered in; it trailed over the destruction and cradled the two.

“We will,” he said and she felt his resolve strengthen.

They embraced and locked their bodies together and waited until the storm inside of him passed; it was replaced by a calmness that Rey exuded and coated him with.

They would fight for their life together.

* * *

A few days later, the storm that raged days before was brought to a simmer and things settled back into a routine of normality.

The days that they did not work, were spent at Leia and Han’s cabin. Now they knew that the threat to the pack was more than random and seemingly unconnected abductions, the drive to find their missing members increased with a new acceleration in progress.

Rey was a target, it was all agreed upon and throughout it all, Rey took to the role of easing Ben’s tormented mind. Some nights he held her with only voiceless declarations as he brushed his lips above her heart and other nights, he begged her to tell him of how the two of them could conquer all.

It was a reversal of roles but it was only natural and she stepped up and offered reassurance to him in anyway she could. They were closer than ever.

Things were livelier; all were determined to ensure Rey’s visions would not come to fruition. None was more motivated than Ben; he had been attentive, perhaps quieter but loving all the same. He had righted all that had suffered under his wrath, he mended and what could not be put back together, he promptly replaced.

It was a Saturday evening when he approached her. She was sat in the library, reading Padme’s book once again, this time in its entirety. She rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hand and yawned, stretching as the light of the waning sun disappeared and took its warmth with it. It did not matter, the grand fireplace heated the room, the soft and lulling crackles of the logs tired her. It had been a long day.

“Sweetheart,” Ben whispered, he wrapped his hands around her middle from behind and pressed a chaste kiss on her head.

Humming, Rey swivelled and stood with him and draped her hands around his neck. Her back ached from a day spent hunched over the treasured book and Ben’s hands trailed a delightful downward descent along the length of her spine.

His fingers dipped into the grooves, they worked in tandem as his palms offered more weight to the massage.

“I needed that.”

“I’m glad, later I will draw you a nice hot bath and take care of you properly.”

Smiling, Rey rose up on her tiptoes and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I like the sound of that.”

For a while, they stayed like that, Ben’s hands offered her relief as he pressed soft circles into her back and under his fingertips, she felt the knots loosen and her aches slowly dissipate.

“Will you join me for a late supper? I noticed you haven’t eaten,” his breaths fan her face.

Encircling his waist, she pressed herself flush against him and rested her face above his heart. Despite the calmness of their movements, it raced and thumped a lovely tune for her.

It was nice to stand still when it seemed that life was rapidly passing them by. Their time together was like the sand in an hourglass. Every grain was symbolic of what could happen and how Rey could be snatched away in the night and slip through everyone’s grasp despite all their fight.

For now, they chose not to think too much of that potential passage of time.

“Yes, what do you have in mind?”

“I set us up a picnic, it is a warm night, is that okay?”

It was more than okay, Rey loved the outdoors and with the summer quickly dwindling away, she wanted to make the most of the remaining days of it.

Together, they walked hand in hand until they reached the dock; it was a place symbolic to the pair. It was where Ben had pulled her from the water after their heated reunion and she felt cleansed and hopeful for the future. It has been a rebirth; all was forgiven of the two, their sins left in the water as they began their life with one another.

He had kissed her there too.

Candles lit the space; dozens of them decorated the path leading up to the dock and then the railings itself. The amber lights twinkled and fluttered in the breeze, cloaking the space in an amber haze. A thick, tartan blanket was sprawled over the dock and in the middle of it, a picnic basket lay.

Swivelling, Rey gazed at the scene and then back at Ben.

“You did all of this for me? Ben, it is beautiful,” she nudged his hand with her own and brought it to her mouth, her lips skimmed his knuckles and she kissed each one.

“I would do anything for you, Rey.”

The soft declaration moved her, never had she felt so secure and so truly loved. The belonging she had always sought was so obviously with Ben, perhaps it always had been.

In another life, where her grandfather remained with the pack, they might have grown together, experienced the highs and lows of reaching adulthood and the mistakes that came with it.

Now, they had one another, fate had brought them together and shown them that united, they could bring about balance and peace, a brighter future was prophesied for all who stood beside them.

After curling her hand around his neck, she pulled him downwards and kissed him. Their lips moved in time, a meeting of plush flesh and searing heat. She enjoyed the taste of him; it was something she knew she would never tire of. Like a woman denied of sustenance, she trailed her wet tongue along the seam of his mouth and he opened it, flicking his own out and up to meet hers.

With that opening, she deepened the affection she bestowed him with, shamelessly moaning into his mouth and filling him with life, her breaths.

This was what she needed, with his mouth upon hers; she was grounded to the Earth in the here and now. As she carded his silky, charcoal tendrils and thumbed them, enjoying the feel and lush texture, she was cemented to the present, bound solely by Ben.

He palmed the back of her thighs and lifted her with ease, she was airborne and flying in his hold, she wrapped her legs around his thick waist to secure herself. Laughing between kisses, Ben walked them towards the water; his footfalls were woodsy when he finally came upon the dock. By then, they were both flushed in the face and beaming. He avoided stepping on the candles and gave her thighs one more squeeze before he carefully set her back on her feet.

Rey breathed in, enjoying the quiet, cooling breeze that rolled in off the lake. With the candles lighting the night, it was a a dusky setting, a warming kind of ambience.

Toeing off her shoes, she swept them aside and wriggled her toes against the wood. Wrapping her arms around her middle, she allowed herself some time to admire the scenery and sounds that accompanied the night. The sun had dipped low behind the clouds and left a violet hue and the slither of the pale giant in its place.

Beside her, Ben sat and began unpacking their food.

“Did you see that?” He asked, pointing to the end of the dock.

Rey shook her head, no and crept towards the edge. Reaching the spot, she saw nothing but her reflection in the sloshing water.

“Ben there is nothing there-”

All words were lost when she turned and found Ben Solo, down on one knee, his wide eyes on her as his chest heaved. In his hand, was an open box and nestled inside, sat a simple but ornate ring, a moonstone the centre of the stunning piece.

Gasping, Rey’s hand flew up and covered her mouth, not quite believing her eyes.

“I think I have loved you since the first moment I set eyes on you, I have wanted you, always. You complete me and I cannot imagine a day where I do not wake up next to you. You are mine and I am yours but I ask this of you, Rey, with my grandmother’s ring, I ask you to be my wife.”

Inhaling deeply, he wet his lip.

“Reyna Kenobi, will you marry me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It goes without saying that the next chapter will include woods smut.
> 
> As always, my supporters and commenters mean the world to me.
> 
> Still with me? Let me know...
> 
> This fic will be updated October 2018 <3


	20. Woods

On his knees, he awaited her response with wide eyes, almost obsidian in colour, blown and full of hope. There was a raw kind of vulnerability hidden there, cresting and bleeding into what slithers remained of his cedar wood irises, untouched by sprawling and dilated pupils. The proposal startled her; she cupped her mouth and felt her knees weaken at the sight that confronted her. Seeing him upon one knee and presenting his grandmother’s ring was something entirely unexpected. It was all she needed.

Their bond had meant that the secrets of their minds were laid bare and free for viewing, which neither seemed bothered by, trust was the ultimate component and base of a budding and steely relationship. There was nothing she wished to keep from him, when he looked at her she unleashed it all.

How had he kept this hidden? The effort required must have tested his abilities considering their closeness but he had achieved it, an impressive show of his ever-developing and superior strength. One day, she hoped to rise to his level and face him as his equal, until then, she would turn to him for guidance, not only as his mate but also as his wife.

A breeze rolled off the lake, drying the tears that had fallen in torrid streams. When had she began to cry? Slowly, she advanced towards him, surprised her legs supported her throughout the entirety of the process. Slow and steady, she closed the distance, her bare feet skimmed across the dock, woodsy whispers in an otherwise silent approach. All the while, Ben continued to gaze at her with an intensity that flamed her body in desire and an almost irresistible need to mitigate his undeniable worry. Despite his confident stance, shoulders back and chin tilted upwards, there was obviously a fear of rejection, the twitch of his left eye and the way he pressed his plump lips together, working them were sure evidence. It was ridiculous, he had nothing to fear, she wanted him.

Unable to leave him in such a state, she inhaled, dropping to her knees in front of him until they were almost level. They kneeled as partners, both entranced and devoted to the other. His freehand caressed the back of her neck, drawing her closer to his body as she peered up at him to face his expectancy. His thumb swept away her tears and she found his own eyes shiny with an unshed spilling of unbridled happiness.

Finding her voice, she listened to the steady cadence of her fluttering heart and answered him, unwilling to leave him waiting any longer, they were destined.

“Yes, Ben, of course I will marry you,” she whispered, resolute in her answer, she wanted nothing more than to bond with him in the final way they had yet to conquer. Above all, she yearned to be his in another way and cement their relationship in history and time.

The words banished any of his insecurities but he choked all the same, allowing the full weight of her words to envelop him. The thoughts of his that she could decipher were bright, all centred around relief and hope.

“I love you,” he murmured, finally smiling and oh, how it struck her but his attention was elsewhere, lingering downwards to the velvet box in his hand.

“It’s beautiful,” Rey commented, thoroughly thrilled to see the ring up close.

In the amber light of their surroundings, it gleamed with a white heat, befitting and symbolic of who they were and all they would become. For they were children of the moon, beings that were ruled by the pale giant and whose power came directly from its powerful, lunar energy, a potent and pure source of lively and unencumbered strength. As long as the moon rose and covered the land in pallid white, their gifts would never waver or fail them.

When Ben removed the dainty ring, Rey’s hand trembled, her body awash with a thrilling nervousness but he kept her steady, forever acting as a balm to ease anything that ailed her. The ring itself was composed of two looping and entwined gold bands. The lower of the two was adorned with diamond petals that accented the round, smooth moonstone nestled at the centre of it all. Tiny clusters of diamonds encompassed the stone, a tight ring of gleaming jewels to contrast the simplicity of the heart of the ring. Even in the low light, natural beryl blue shone across the glimmering and ever changing surface with the movement, even slight. It was iridescent.

It dwarfed in Ben’s hand, a sizeable and awing contrast to his long, thick fingers and her mind drifted on its own accord to the band he would one day wear. Though she had laid claim to him, marked his flesh with her teeth and mingled her scent with his own, it was pleasing to think of a simple token carried through time emblematic of two souls professing their love.

“May I?”

Not quite trusting her ability to vocalise her want, she nodded in earnest, unable to tear her eyes away from what would further declare that she was his, unconditionally and forevermore.

Throughout all of this, he kept his gaze firmly trained towards the ring. Rey gasped as the cool metal made contact with her own skin and then finally, Ben raised his chin and pinned her with eyes so impassioned she could scarcely breathe. Unwavering was his hold on her despite how he caressed her with the lightest touches.

Their eyes locked, long gone were the earthy tones that lit up their faces, in their place, they were replaced by crimson and gold, the alpha and omega were present. The crimson bled and swallowed his colour and she keened quietly, feeling the heat gather in her stomach and pool between her legs.

Ben slid the ring on her finger, his own chest heaving in anticipation until the band slipped past her knuckle until it could move no further. The act was surprisingly freeing, though she knew it meant that she would find herself tied to him in another way, she felt inspirited and inclined to believe that with him by her side, none could harm her again.

“A perfect fit,” Ben declared, a lone tear trailed down the length of his face, skimming along the length of his scar, wetting it.

Rey planted her hands on his shoulders; her fingers smoothed the fabric of his shirt as she pulled him down to her, just a fraction. Starting from his chin, she pressed her lips to his skin and tasted him, the saltiness of his tears, firewood and pine.

A low groan tumbled from his lips, a sound that incited her, coaxing more. Little, breathy gasps fanned across his face as she continued her ascent, following the line of his tear and scar until she had cleansed him. Spying downwards, she witnessed the affect of her simple exploration as his cock strained against denim.

Pulling back, she dropped her hands to her sides, lifting her chin in challenge and awaited what was to come next as passion overcame them both. Crimson bore into gold, two hearts raged hot and in time. Aching tension built between them until he was all she could see, taste or smell, their surroundings forgotten, an acute surge of desire spiralled and embraced their flushed bodies.

They moved, it was a desperate act of wandering hands and hungry mouths. Rey moaned as Ben’s fingers closed about her breasts and kneaded them as she panted wantonly against his lips. Falling forward, she clutched fistfuls of his shirt as he pulled her down atop the blanket, his erection cushioned against the soft plane of her stomach and then dipped lower until she straddled him and rubbed her heated centre along his length.

“Fuck, Rey, I can feel how wet you are,” Ben groaned as he hiked up her flimsy skirt until it reached her waist and remained bunched up there.

Her cotton panties, once stark white were soaking with liquid heat. Taut against him, it was an all over kiss of two bodies, coiled tight. Their mouths moved as one and as he sunk his teeth into her bottom lip and tugged, he found it already plump and swollen. The grazing of bone against flesh shot straight to her cunt so she ground down on him, taking her pleasure as she balanced herself with flat palms against his chest, feeling the rapid pump of his caged heart.

From this position, hovering above him, she could admire the full length of his powerful physique, although clothed; his muscles were on show, bulging against the fabric between them. Moaning, she keened as he dragged his mouth from hers and dipped his head low, tracing the curve of her collarbone with his wet tongue. Her damp thighs quivered on either side of his hips but as he sucked a pretty cherry blossom on her mating gland, fully savouring her, she stilled, dazed and mellowed by such an instinctual act.

Rapid, shallow breaths escaped her parted lips as Ben rained kisses on her shoulder, fisting her hair and in turn, drawing her deeper into the carnal maelstrom. Sure that she was ready to take him in the open, she stood, surprising him and sent a coy smile his way.

Although her own deserve hummed in her veins, she knew that the cabin was the better option to explore that.

“Catch me if you can,” she whispered before darting forward and towards the cabin.

Ben growled from behind her, a quick backward glance revealed that while she had maintained a lead, he was close behind. Though he smiled, a deep hunger was undoubtedly ignited by the thrill of the chase and she was the sweet prey, the reward for such efforts. Her bare feet flew across the rich soil as his thoughts seeped into her own. It excited him to hunt her down, the instinctual being inside of him, Kylo, powered onwards, galvanised at the prospect of showing his worth to his mate by catching her and proving his paramount prowess.

The projection of his thoughts only impelled her, drunk on the influence of a wild Ben at her back. This was the kind of passion she wished to drown in, his liquid fire that radiated from his pounding heart and infected her, soaking her in all that was him.

Breathless, she neared the cabin and darted across the grass, surprised she had managed to outrun him. A low growl sounded in the nighttime air, a warning or proud declaration of victory, she did not know but arms coiled deep with thick, hard muscle groped her middle and yanked her upwards and off her feet. A shrill scream accompanied her flight as the palms of his hands flattened against her abdomen as they fell to the grass.

Ben grunted, pinning her hands above her head as she fought playfully, more than eager to find herself below him as his crimson eyes gleamed down at her. The fake struggle ensued as Ben nudged her thighs apart and settled there, rubbing the coarse denim against her cotton panties.

“I caught you, little omega. My future wife is fast, you tested me,” he grumbled, a taunt that flamed her. His husky voiced spilled the want and need inside of him.

Breathing harshly out of her nose, she gazed upwards, entirely entranced at the prospect of being his wife, he was everything she had ever craved or imagined.

“I did, I nearly made it though, your wife nearly bested her husband,” she whispered, jutting her hips upwards off the ground in an effort to appease the ache between her legs.

Slick flowed freely and she knew the affect it had upon him, his nostrils flared as his hold on her wrists slackened but he had caged her with his flesh and overpowered her in all the ways she desired.

“You’re my equal, it’s no surprise. But because you ran, I will take you outside for all to hear, I want you to scream my name into the trees and tell everyone just how good of a husband I will be,” Ben demanded, his voice dropped an octave as if the low rumble manifested as raw pleasure itself.

It startled her, they were in eyesight of the cabin, so very close but their need outweighed all else. In the past, she had attempted to take him this way, below the stars and amongst the trees but fate had other plans for them that night.

Something inside her, a whisper, keened at the idea of becoming one with him in nature. With the earth below them and the glow of the moon on their backs, they would regress through time and revert to their animalistic intentions. In that moment, she did not care if anyone saw them, she wanted him, no, needed him more than she had needed anything before in her life. A deep primitive tug in her abdomen roared to life as his brow raised a fraction and devastated her self-control or modesty.

Nodding in affirmation, she gasped as he released her wrists but promptly mapped her body, a suffocating presence but a welcome devouring of her body and senses. His plump lips, a muted cerise in colour, scoured her and plucked kisses from her flesh as his hands swarmed, tugging at fabric until it ripped and fell to the grass ruined and unsalvageable.

The nighttime air breezed against her naked form. Ben sat back, never taking his eyes of the writhing form in front of him as he pulled his shirt off and tugged his jeans down until he slipped free of them.

Both were nude, souls bared to the other but there was only acceptance and love, no inklings of doubt slithered into either of their consciences. Rey gushed at the sight of him, a man she would soon call her husband.

His cock was hard and ready while she was set to accommodate him. She drank freely of his image, the epitome of manliness and strength, her Ben. Slowly, Ben ascended settling between her splayed thighs as they pressed chest to chest. Anticipation flooded her veins, the potency of his presence was dizzying and Ben smirked, his fingers dipped lower until they met wetness and she pleaded, silently at first while he dipped one finger inside of her with consummate skill.

“Your cunt is so wet, is it for me, Rey?” The question rolled off his tongue and her ragged breaths beat against his chest.

“Yes, always for you, Ben. Please, I need more.”

She knew this pleased him, just as much as his praise made her fly and reach impossible heights. Despite her constant reassurances, he required validation and vocal declarations, he needed to feel wanted and that was something she always obliged him with.

“What do you need? Tell me,” he huffed as he slipped another finger inside of her, crooking it upwards until it hit that sweet spot that made her scream. Wildness brewed beneath the gentleness of the act. The deliberate stretching of her was not needed, now was not the time for foreplay when she felt hungry and so empty without him.

Ben delighted in it all, loving watching her come undone.

“I need you to fuck me, please.”

Darkness fringed the crimson in his irises as he removed his fingers and sucked them into his mouth, lapping up her juices in such a way that his eyes rolled into the back of his head.

“As if I could deny you anything,” he chuckled, hoisting her hips upwards towards his parted thighs.

Splayed out and in the open, there came a vulnerability but with him above her, it quickly dissipated.

“On your hands and knees, Rey.”

Quick to oblige, she rolled, digging her nails into the grass and soil beneath her. Ben was flush against her, poised at her entrance before she could think right or formulate coherent thoughts.

The warmness from him seeped everywhere; his freehand took purchase on the curve of her spine as he flattened her chest down to the ground so her ass was raised up, arched in invitation.

In that position, she felt like her inner wolf. This way, she presented herself, wiggling as he guided himself into her slick heat.

The stretch of him filled her completely, he was not gentle with how he entered her, hissing but that was what she needed. A deep sense of completion followed when he finally began to move, snapping his hips hard against the back of her.

The pull and drag of his cock was something she would never tire of, the sensations overruled everything.

“Your cunt is so fucking tight, christ, Rey,” Ben groaned.

It was the praise she wanted and so clenched with every inward stroke, causing him to spew profanities, loudly.

Both of his hands came down near her own as he draped himself over her back, his long torso making the act easier. The weight of him was stifling; the angle meant he could drive himself deeper. Matching his rhythm was difficult; he alternated the pacing to ensure he lasted longer.

At first, it was punishing, the quick slaps of their flesh echoed around the space and spilled into the troves of trees around them. His long hair tickled her back along with his hot, wet kisses. Arms wide, she tugged, pulling clumps of soil and grass from the ground until her nails were muddied.

“Dirty girl,” Ben cooed in her ear.

For him, she was, they were barely human, rutting and fucking in the open like this. Still, she used those dirtied hands and pinched at her nipples as she felt the ache in her knees increase. Sensing her discomfort, Ben withdrew for a moment and rolled her to her back before coming down again to meet her. Her body took him with ease, there was no resistance.

She was filthy, muddied and mewling below him but he loved it, his thoughts were full of primal admiration so she dragged her hands down his chest and coated him too, to which he growled and bent his head low.

Tugging at his lip, she bit until she drew blood, knowing that his real pleasure came from walking the thin line between pleasure and pain, two sensations destined to meet.

This made him thrust faster despite the tiny falter in his movements from the unexpected action. Time and time again, they met and despite his impassioned movements, she managed to drape her calves around his back and pull him ever closer as she tugged at his raven tresses and kissed him with a fervour that surprised even her.

“I can’t wait to call you my wife,” he hissed as he allowed him time to breathe before claiming his crimson stained lips once more.

Muddied fingertips smeared his flexing pectorals. Copper danced upon her tongue, his life essence, their teeth gnashed together but they were too far gone to care for grace. Rey felt the familiar pang of her impending release in her stomach so she slithered her fingers down the length of her body until she brushed against her hardened clit.

“Touch yourself; I want to feel you come on my cock.”

Their tongues danced together as she circled the hardened nub and pressed hard until she fluttered around him, convulsing as she came.

“Fuck,” Ben moaned as he quickly followed.

The sporadic clenching lessened as he came, spilling inside of her as his knot held them in place.

Breathing harshly, Ben came down from his high and pressed a final, chaste kiss on her lips.

“I love you, future Mrs Solo.”

* * *

The quiet morning bliss was shattered by a sharp wail, a guttural and primal scream torn straight from a broken heart. Gasping, Rey fell out of bed and away from the heat of Ben’s body. It was an abysmal awakening, the kind that made her heart race and being flood with a potent mixture of adrenaline and a trickle of cold sweat.

Despite the confusion, she was quick to her feet and standing in seconds, dishevelled, both of them fumbled around for clothes. Since most of her discarded clothes were strewn about the bed, she managed to assemble an outfit first; a simple pair of cotton sleep shorts and a white camisole.

As soon as she was covered, she darted out of the cabin, leaping down the steps as she took off. Ben urged her to wait as he trailed behind but she found herself unable to do so as more wails pierced through the sky. It was eerie, a nagging sense of déjà vu was present as if she had heard or lived through this before and somehow, she knew that she was right in taking the lead.

Ben yelled, hot on her heels as a manic dash ensued, she sprinted ahead, the woodland dug at the soles of her bare-feet and her limbs shook with exertion. She had never moved so fast. Her heart was in her throat and she could not banish the nausea that churned in her gut and threatened spillage.

Ben was close behind, his long legs carried him faster across the grass and dirt than her own but her limbs were strong and her speed only increased as she followed the screams. There was no stopping them, tall grass brushed her thighs and dry soil muddied her feet but she made it through the clearing and along the winding paths until she reached the source of it all.

Leia was on her knees, clutching handfuls of soil by the lip of the lake, embedded at the shoreline. Her screams woke all, plumes of crows scattered from their branches, cawing as they inked the dusky purple sky. Rey ceased all movement as she followed her line of vision and gasped, her knees buckled and she too was berthed to the earth. All sound was lost, a buzzing and tunnel vision set in.

In the middle of the lake, floated a body, face down and limbs sprawled. It lulled along with the gentle rhythm and undulating currents of the water, pulsing unlike the dead heart that lay on on the wooden dock.

Death had arrived.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been a while...I apologise but I have finished TMS. Full steam ahead.
> 
> If you are still reading...let me know?


	21. Bye

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please be mindful of the tags in this one <3

Leia’s wails died down into hoarse screams but still, her grief threatened to rip through the land and paint it black, a grounded and withered figure downed in the ruins of visceral devastation.

Time seemed to slow. Rain fell down from the gloomy sky above, lazily at first until it burst down, peppering all below in cold, fat specks, an onslaught to accent the horror. It danced along the surface of the lake patterning prettily, a lively patter in conjunction with the jostling of death. 

Harbouring her own sickness, she slouched forward, shivering until two hot hands pulled her upwards, firewood and pine filled her nostrils and then she could finally breathe, inhaling sure and deeply. The touch was a fleeting one but she expected nothing more, there were other concerning matters and another woman who could not conceal her heartache. While she had once relied solely on Ben’s strength to see her through the staggering changes and the new daunting world she had found herself in, now she could stand and support herself. Weakness still attempted to bury her but she powered through with a brawniness that surprised even her.

A numbness leaked into her limbs and a coldness bit at her fingertips while Ben pressed his hands on either side of her jaw and forced her to tear her eyes away from the body in the lake. The firmness in his hold compelled her to shift her gaze and focus completely on him. Though he spoke, his lips moved rapidly and his eyes bulged in a voiceless plea, she could not hear him, even with the close proximity, his forehead flush against her own. All sound was drowned, lost to a depth she could not reach.

Something was happening but she nodded anyway and he dropped his hands before racing towards his mother who had managed to stand on shaky legs and trek forward into the water. Leia waded, stumbling about, almost falling forward once or twice before Ben caught her, obviously shouting at her to cease her advancement. Though he managed to bury his own grief well, she felt his hurt, the kind that crippled even the strongest of men but for his mother, he would act as someone to cling to and draw strength from.

Calmness was a contagion.

Like a spectator, Rey stood and lost herself to the odd lightness in her head before she too fell forward down to the dirt again. The heart on the dock beckoned her to observe it and so she did before she tumbled, her mind suddenly overcome with a vision. The organ triggered it all and snatched her reality from her. Resting her cheek upon the grass, she squeezed her eyes shut as her body convulsed, limbs flying wildly at her sides. It reminded of her of the wolfsbane injections, the devastating way in which she lost control of her own movements, strung both loose and tight, her body flung itself about manically. Gasping, she felt herself fall as if the earth had hungrily swallowed her whole. The vision was her coffin, the grave dirt that seeped into her eyes and mouth, it was all she could see, encompassed fully and without reprieve.

_In it, shadows surrounded an asian woman with long, black hair that clung to her forehead in a matted mess. Immediately, Rey recognised the woman from the missing posters that were strewn about the area as the pack conformed to the usual measures taken when someone went missing. Despite them knowing Jessika Pava was abducted, they followed the expected notions and swept aside their suspicions of her captors not being strictly human._

_It was difficult to witness, most of the figures were nothing but blurred or foggy masses but Jessika was in pivotal focus, sickly pale and delirious as she mumbled incoherently, eyes glazed and her cracked lip quivering. Without any clothes, her vulnerability was even more apparent, bruises dotted her skin in expansive stains of purples, yellows and greens. The veins in her arms seemed to pop out, raised and strained against her flesh like coiled ribbons that would burst from their confinement any moment._

_“You failed!” A coarse proclamation rang out._

_From behind, a hand drove straight through her, clenching her heart in reward as their nails impaled the precious organ. The woman gasped, a weak, wet death rattle but the light in her dimmed quickly, snuffed out quietly like a candle in the wind._

Never before had she felt so helpless, she witnessed the death of a young woman, a member of the pack she would one day co-lead and her heart ached over the loss. Despite not knowing Jessika, the cataclysm stung, no one deserved to die in such a horrific manner or at such a young age before they could fully live. As she came to, she blindly groped her own chest, feeling the same burning agony that came with the wicked penetration and relief of one’s heart. Digging her nails into the flesh, she babbled, almost certain that the phantom pain was her own. Was her heart still in tact?

It was then she slowly surfaced and her world came into view again. Poe knelt beside her, shaking her shoulders. She had never seen her brother so utterly terrified.

“What happened?” He asked, eyes wide and wet with worry.

Though it was rare, thanks to Padme’s book, without a need for deducing, she knew exactly what had occurred. While visions during the time an omega was awake or conscious were extraordinary and wholly infrequent, they were not completely unheard of. Of course, she had mostly seen slithers of the future and of a fate yet to be determined through dreams but this time, she had been transported to the past, perhaps only hours before but it was enough of a glimpse to paint a grim picture of what occurred.

Jessika was viciously murdered and tossed into the lake for all to see. Leaving her heart on the dock was a final desecration, a tradition long used in their history. Disgraced wolves would fall victim to this punishment as they believed the heart was what powered the inner wolf, a beacon for the moon so it could lend them its power. Without it, the person was reduced to nothing, seen as less than human but also, it was said to tear the wolf from the person’s spirit and the two would never join again, both lost and wandering in the afterlife. Murdering someone in this manner was the cruelest stroke and the greatest insult to the dead.

Unable to answer at that time, still too startled and reacquainting herself back into the present, she swallowed hard, reeling as she heard Ben’s pleas, a bellowed bargain for his mother to see sense.

Swivelling around, Rey found the mother and son struggling in the shallow depths. Leia was determined to retrieve the body, no doubt thinking it was her beloved daughter, Kaydel. Poe was not the only new person on scene, Han was closing in, followed closely by Chewie but the efforts to contain Leia continued.

Leia was an alpha. It did not matter that she was older or dwarfed in comparison to Ben, her tenacity roared and her spirit followed, blinded by grief, she was untouchable. Her screams had transformed into vicious snarls, by then, she was more animal than human. With one mighty push, she sent Ben backwards into the water and broke free from his grasp. 

That was it, seeing Ben fall like that broke her from her reverie. No longer absorbed and mostly unresponsive to the scene unfolding beyond her, she first rolled onto her knees and then stood. With Poe close behind her, she sprinted towards the water, determined to put at end to everything.

The water was cold. It sloshed around her thighs, cutting like knives in never ending waves so frigid and unrelenting that it made her teeth chatter. Ben was still regaining his footing so she hurried by him, brushing her fingertips along his exposed forearm as a way of comfort. Leia sped ahead but Rey, fuelled by a potent shot of adrenaline and the image of Ben’s fall powered on.

“Please, it can’t be my daughter, please!” Leia shrieked. Her tiny hands were curled into fists, they beat the water and sent ripples outwards, billowing remnants like her primal screams.

The initial lead meant Leia had covered a substantial amount of ground, pressing forward in the clear water and pushed aside stray lake grass. With one final lunge, arms wide, Rey caught the woman and pulled her back, nearly dropping into the icy depths. Both shook violently, from the cold or the bold act of prohibition, an omega challenged an alpha, an act unheard of yet Rey, without thought for pack dynamics, smashed any kind of hierarchy. Alongside Han, Leia was practically pack leader, the steely resolve behind a man with suave and loyal support. 

At first Leia struggled, her tiny hands scratched against Rey’s forearms as she attempted to untangle them from her middle. Her nails made ribbons of the flesh, shallow and deep openings chasmed in the skin, gurgling blood but it did not matter, they would heal and her only objective was to prevent Leia from confronting the corpse, a ghastly sight that floated just beyond them.

“It’s not Kaydel!” 

Leia stilled, her body slacked in a short lived form of relief until she rounded upon Rey, shaking free from her hindering embrace and gripped her forearms. Wide eyes confronted her, rimmed red with tears and grief in a voiceless plea Rey wished she had answers for.

“It’s Jessika,” Rey whispered.

On the shoreline came a roar from Chewie. By that time, Ben had managed to catch up to both his mother and mate and pulled his mother’s shaking form against him, wrapping his long limbs around her tiny frame. He rested his chin on her head and guided her out of the lake.

All the while, he kept his eyes on Rey, a burning question hung in the air between them. 

xxx

Though they all suspected Jessika had been violently murdered by another wolf, they allowed the local authorities into the pack’s land to comb the area and proceed with an official inquiry. Their investigation was fruitless and no leads came of it which surprised no one. Whoever had done it, was meticulous and sneaky, leaving no clues behind except the vision that appeared before Rey.

The pack’s own investigation did not fare much better. The perpetrator had somehow covered their scent and slipped by the pack’s perimeter defences with a relative ease that taunted them all. 

Through telepathy, Rey shared the vision and tale of events that had come to her through a waking vision. Though Jessika had been surrounded by people in her final moments, all were unclear, foggy masses that evaded detection even to an omega gifted with the power of sight. There was much she did not understand of her visions and the subjectivity behind them. The sense of uselessness that came after was crushing. What use was her gift if she could not pinpoint the perpetrators and prevent any more deaths?

Two weeks later, following an autopsy, the body was released back to Jessika’s parents, two middle ranking betas in the pack who wished to bury her in the cemetery reserved on the land. Han, of course, welcomed it.

After the funeral, came a reception at Han and Leia’s cabin, the central and pinnacle place in the cluster of homes, the fiery heart of the community and therein, the pack itself. Many gathered but Hux and Phasma were nowhere to be seen which had undoubtedly stirred curiosity and accusations.

It was a quiet affair. Throughout it all, Rey clung to Ben’s side, fingers wound tight around his forearm. The grief was palpable and for once, she thanked her lack of finesse and capability in telepathy. Though she could pilfer and brush the surface of other minds thanks to the bond with Ben, her ability lacked in that area which was expected, she was no alpha. The only mind she knew as well as her own was Ben’s, linked by something beyond their understanding or comprehension. Ben seemed pained by it all, undoubtedly bombarded with the hurt of others, so she calmed him in the only way she knew how. Her stifling and unwavering presence, an omega to soothe an alpha, the natural order of things.

The appreciation he showed was subtle but telling, the way he side eyed her whenever confronted by sobbing members of the pack or how he would bring her in close and press his lips on her forehead as if he needed to like he needed air.

The entire pack was in attendance, council members included. Even the young children and teens who had been sent away to the neighbouring pack of Lor San, Han’s cousin and therefore ally, walked about the space, faces glum and eyes wet. Jessika’s death had touched everyone in some capacity. The reality and seriousness of the situation hit many hard as they realised that the quiet days of living in peace had come to vicious end. 

Later on in the evening, Leia’s absence was noted by the attendees but no one drew attention too much, opting to ponder her whereabouts through hushed whispers and wandering eyes. Though it was not her daughter in the lake, it had only added to her agony and very little of the tenacious woman Rey had heard so much about, remained. If Jessika had fallen victim to such a gruesome fate, it was only natural to assume that Kaydel would likely do so too. 

Each night, Rey willed visions to come her way, hoping that she would wake from a dream in cold sweat and dread but with the essential knowledge of Kaydel’s future or location in tow. In the quiet times, surrounded by pack members and loved ones, Rey would think of her visions regarding herself. Abduction and far worse loomed overhead, a dark room where she fell, insides spilling and where she would never to stand again. 

Though the idea hurt her, she was determined to avoid it and somehow change what was to come. 

The nights following the discovery of Jessika’s body, Ben had tossed and turned, agonising over his failures. It did not matter that Kaydel’s abduction was through no fault of his own, he shouldered some of the pain. Every night, Rey would curl herself around him, bringing her arms across his wide chest and just clung to his body, whispering any assurances that came to mind. It seemed to help, he slept soundly and without issue while her dreams were empty and lacking any real kind of structure. The nothingness was new. It left her blind in a sense, she could feel her power growing but she did not know if she was ready to receive the gift of sight and understand it in a way to use it to her advantage. 

Seeing the future was complicated. 

Torn between two realities and countless fates, every one determined by decisions and choices perhaps beyond her control and yet to make.

All she could do was learn to live with it and make it her strength.

Feeling a new sense of resolve rise in her, she held Ben’s hand in her own, sidestepping people united in grief.

Together, they went in search of Leia, pulling away from the crowd. They climbed the stairs, following the scent of fresh coffee and mint. Much of the house was familiar to Rey through shared thoughts from Ben and the time spent there.

Since Jessika’s death, Ben had naturally gravitated towards his mother, so much so, they had taken to staying in his old bedroom. It was something Rey was supportive of, her abduction and Ben’s fall took place outside of her cabin and so by staying away, she hoped to change that outcome.

“Mother.”

They found Leia in her bedroom, sitting on the end of the bed with her hands clasped on her lap and head bowed as if the effort of sitting up straight was too much. 

Ben kneeled before her and picked up her hands, pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

“My boy, my son,” she said softly, addressing him. 

The moment was an intimate one, a mother and son healing in the only way they knew how. Two alphas bowed, decorated in aches that could not be seen. Thinking it best to leave them, Rey shuffled backwards.

Leia’s eyes snapped up towards her, fiery and alive for the first time in weeks.

“No, Rey. I want you to stay. There is something I must tell you both.”

Ben’s eyes flashed to her own, both of their minds conjoined in their shared confusion. 

“I’m going to contact Luke and ask if Jessika’s death was his doing.”

Ben glowered at the ground, flinching at the mere mention of his uncle’s name. A long history of shunning, belittlement and animosity lingered between the two. The fact that he had attacked Rey only furthered his deep hatred and fuelled her own resentment for the man who had murdered her parents.

Rey began to pace, recalling the feel of his cold blade against her neck and how his rough hands had nearly squeezed the life out of her. 

“He would never admit it,” Ben spoke quietly, clearly trying to keep his tone even and without bite but his disdain seeped in.

“He can’t lie to me, we share a bond much like yours and Rey’s. I need to know the truth,” Leia added warily, sagging.

“You’re not meeting him alone.”

“I never intended to, I will invite him here so I have the support of the pack,” Leia rebutted.

Ben heaved out a sigh and stood, watching Rey as she paced.

“I have someone else in mind,” Rey whispered.

“You mentioned Snoke before, he was a childhood friend of your grandfather and my father though he was not as close as Ben and Anakin,” Leia mused.

“I suspect him, he appeared in my vision. I think he could be behind it all. During therapy, he tried to turn me against you all and said Han and you overthrew my grandfather as pack leader.”

Leia stood, quick as a whip and advanced towards her, putting an end to her pacing.

“That is not true. Your grandfather feared for the safety of your mother after my mother was murdered. He felt a great deal of guilt with being unable to save her so he left, hoping to keep his daughter safe. Before that, he named Han as his successor after my father’s disappearance.”

Rey bit her lip.

It did not matter of old Ben’s plans or mysterious ways, they did not protect his daughter and in turn, Rey was left blind in a world she belonged to.

“Search your feelings, you know it to be true,” Leia insisted.

Of course, Rey knew her version was true. There were no ill will or dark intent in the eyes Ben had inherited. Only honesty.

“I believe you.”

Leia offered a hint of a smile before she resumed her seated position.

“If Snoke is behind this, I don’t want you anywhere near him, we don’t have any idea what he is capable of,” Ben mused.

“He has suppressed his wolf, I know that. He showed me the injections, the ones he supplied my grandfather with which stopped me shifting.”

“If that is true, you should confront him, talk to him in a public place and see what you can find out,” Leia interjected.

“Mother-“

“-Ben, it’s our only hope to end all of this. You can go with Rey but if he is suppressing his wolf, he can do very little to harm her, especially with you nearby. Keep close. You can take Chewie with you and some others for support.”

Ben grumbled, evidently unsure of the turn of events.

“I can do this, if he is behind this and the events of the past, I need to know,” Rey said hotly, turning towards Ben.

Ben stared at her for a long moment.

“We’ll go tomorrow.”

xxx

After the mourners left, Rey felt an inescapable pull to transform. It hit her hard and suddenly without warning, her skin prickling hot and pulled uncomfortably tight. It was nearing the arrival of the full moon and so the call to free the wolf within increased in loudness and persuasion, an easy slip that would balm all. Kira was a quiet counterpart, her brave wolf and one who rarely nudged Rey to let her stretch her legs. Though she still did not know that part of herself entirely, it was an irresistible need she did not wish to resist.

Excusing herself, followed closely by Ben, she retreated outside, sucking in deep lungfuls of air. It had rained that morning leaving the landscape dewy and wet, a petrichor clung to the drying grass and winding dirt trails. 

“Let go, Rey.”

Behind her, Ben stood, already unbuttoning his shirt. No matter how many times she had seen him undress, it did not compare to the intoxicating anticipation that came with seeing him unleash Kylo. Crimson eyes appraised her and in response, she felt her own shift, a new kind of clarity tuned her vision.

With her eyes on him, she stepped out of her flats, the soles of her bare feet rested on damp grass. It was a slow dance, mirror images and shedding of clothes that were thoughtlessly tossed to the ground. Once they were nude and bare, she began to tremble, feeling Kira claw to the surface, moving below her skin. It was far from painful, more like a quiet beg for release, one that she knew would bring nothing but loud consolation and perfect resolution.

Ben hunched his massive body forward, squeezing his eyes shut as he fisted the dirt, arching his back as the change came upon him. The transition was fluid, an eruption of painless cracks and flair up of black fur, shrouding pale skin in thick muscle and more. In a second, it was over and all that remained was Kylo, a mammoth wolf to coincide with the human form he inhabited. 

His tail swung from side to side as he approached, advancing by circling her human form. She followed him, spinning as slow as he, it was something else entirely as if he was marking and scoping what he knew to be his. Recognition, the pull to her was stifling in that basic rendition of themselves. Her limbs were alive with the thrum and hum of his attentions, settling deep in the bones of her.

This way, his size shadowed even her standing but he neared, rubbing his nuzzle along the length of her calf, hot puffs feathered them as he crept high. He sniffed, loudly. It heated her more than she could ever admit, the tightness of her skin and his cold nose against her. Halting his ascent just above her knees, she moaned, a mixture of arousal and agony over the delay.

They were instinctual beings after all.

Kylo, seeming to sense her predicament, stepped back, his crimson eyes gleamed with a burning intensity as she envisioned her own second skin. Dropping to the ground, she landed on her hands and knees, groaning as she shook that form away and transcended to something greater. Blunt fingernails lengthened into sharp claws, white fur adorned and grew from tan skin until no trace of a human was left.

Kylo and Kira rose again.

Arching her back, she huffed and shook, stretching her new body after too long away from it. Pride radiated from Kylo in response to the appearance of his graceful, compelling and robust mate.

His nuzzle smoothed against her own, a form of hello and one way of displaying affection. Though he was much larger than her, dwarfing her lithe frame as if an eclipse, they basked in the delight of freedom. 

_“Let’s stretch our legs,”_ Kylo suggested, his voice clear in her mind.

_“After you, alpha.”_

Kylo rose up, howling to the moon and together they ran, free and without a care, some remnant of peace before the challenging times ahead.


	22. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rey finally learns the truth.

_Luke fell to his knees, his hands fleshy red and face splattered in remnants of blood. Little specks wet his nose and cheeks._

_“Kill me!”_

_Ben crumpled inwards; sobbing loud and brokenly until Han appeared, hugging his son to his chest, refusing to glance at Luke. Both were broken._

_Rey advanced towards Luke who smiled with his arms wide and chest heaving._

_“You once said you would kill me and watch me burn, now is time to make good on your promise, Rey. It’s your destiny, smite me down, child, complete the prophecy and avenge your parents.”_

_Unlike Ben, her struggle in completing such a deed was not tainted by grief or familial ties. The man had inflicted such torment and pain; his end seemed to serve as the only way to determine the safety of the pack and to prevent furthering suffering. Still, she sympathised with him in some respect, the murder of his mother had chasmed his mind and made him unbalanced. Death would be a kind release he did not fully deserve._

_“I don’t know if I have the strength to do it,” she admitted quietly, conscious of the agony Ben was in behind her. Her instincts clawed deep and howled at her to soothe him._

_“You do, you’re stronger than I ever was,” Luke urged, his blue eyes shone as if he finally saw clearly and in focus with a new kind of brilliant clarity for the first time in decades._

_Rey kneeled before him, palming his shoulder as she steadied him. Despite what was about to happen, she was the one trembling, her fingers shaking and lip quivering whereas he was the image of calm and serenity, as if he had already reached a higher place beyond the cruel world._

_“I was wrong about our kind, I’m sorry; I wish I’d seen the light sooner.”_

_Inhaling deeply, she set her jaw and reared her arm back, thrusting it forward, penetrating his chest with her claws as she hollowed it with a sickly squelch. Clutching his beating heart, she withdrew it, ripping it from his body. The organ pumped a few more times before it stilled._

_Luke smiled a final time, a small watery grin lit up his features as his eyes dimmed._

_“Thank you,” he whispered, little more than a hushed murmur._

_Soon after, his eyes drooped closed and his body heaved a final time before he fell forward and she caught him, finally allowing herself to cry for the man who had decimated her family and his own._

_It was over._

Gasping, Rey woke, drenched in sweat, heart fluttering wildly. Finding her arms extended out in front of her as if to shield herself from the vision she had been immersed in, she gasped. Ben startled awake beside her, immediately rising to his feet because of her stance and searched the darkness of the room, protectively crouched over her.

Once he realised the reason for her reaction, he exhaled in relief, lifting the blankets and slid back in beside her.

His lips found the column of her throat and he suckled against her mating gland, leaving her sated and calm. It was a technique he used on occasion whenever traditional methods of composing herself failed. With his lips upon her, a primal and heady experience, her limbs would grow light and a euphoria spread, leaving her weightless and free of the mental barrage of fear or uncertainty.

Her alpha was there to protect and chase shadows or remnants of horror away, an instinctual habit thousands of years in the making. It was ingrained into his DNA and in turn, hers. With him, she was safe, he would fight with his last breath to protect her and to ensure safeness. A defence of bone, flesh and blood, powered by a fiery heart and inner wolf, he was her sanctuary.

A low moan escaped her as she settled into his embrace, grinding her lower half against his thighs, bare like her own. The tips of his hair tickled face.

“What did you see?” He pulled her flesh between his lips a final time, releasing it with a wet pop that undoubtedly left a mark, a pretty rosy stain for all to see.

Sometimes he chose not to enquire so soon, instead waiting for her to divulge her visions with him. In other instances, his curiosity overpowered everything and sleep would evade him until he knew what plagued her.

“I kill Luke, you couldn’t do it so I kill him but he wanted it, he thanked me,” she whispered, trailing her thumb along his forearm. The simple act calmed her significantly.

Ben flinched as she replayed the vision in its entirety for him to see, their minds forever linked. He saw himself crumble and break, unable to keep his own promise of killing his uncle alongside her.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbled, the hoarseness of the apology only more evidence of his regret.

Rey lay there in the dark and gazed up at the ceiling. There was no need for him to be sorry. Though he had declared they would both put an end to his uncle, it seemed right for her to do it but she was more than curious about what lead up to Luke’s final moments. Snippets of the future were helpful but there was still so much she did not know and that was what terrified her. Luke murdered her parents so it was fitting she would take the man out of the world but also put an end to his own misery. An eye for an eye left the world blind. In this case, he was the most blind of them all, undoubtedly drowning in a false sense of righteousness in his path that began with the murder of his mother that resulted in his warped and delusional belief of penance and retribution.

“It’s okay; this is something it seems I’m destined to do.”

“You shouldn’t have to do it alone.”

“I’m never alone now that I have you.”

Despite how she woke in a panic, overwhelmed by the vision that proclaimed her a murderer, she was perfectly okay, instead choosing to listen to the beat of Ben’s steady heart as he held her from behind, his warm skin a thing of comfort and nurturing of her.

Growing up with Old Ben as her parental figure had taught her a wealth of things. She knew the family motto and how nothing could break them but it was something Old Ben had told her days before his sudden death that clung to her mind in that moment.

_“Save your fears for when you’re really afraid,” he had said._

At the time, it seemed as if it was irrelevant and without cause but now, she understood perfectly. In the times ahead, she would need to gather all her courage and strength so she could face the conflict and horror that awaited her with determination. Was she afraid of killing Luke? No. Therefore she would not stress herself with it, whatever was to be, would become a reality and when faced with it, she would rise to the occasion.

“I love you,” Ben mumbled softly after he planted a kiss on her shoulder.

“I love you, always,” Rey replied, knowing that her love for him would be her light in the darkness.

* * *

Arranging a meeting with Snoke was easier and less troublesome than she ever imagined. Once before, he had been insistent that she take his personal business card for such an occasion or if she wished to speak further and outside of a professional environment.

Standing tall, she paced in her cabin and through gritted teeth, she spoke with a faux kind of nicety that was arduous to maintain. All the while, she crumpled the business card in her palm, wishing to erase his existence just as easily. The sleek black card with embossed crimson lettering had served its purpose so she squeezed, rolling her eyes at Snoke’s overly enthusiastic tone. He was oddly receptive so they arranged to meet for lunch that afternoon in the city.

Once she hung up, Rey tossed the phone on the coffee table and resumed her pacing, hating how the man had such an unnerving kind of influence over her. Snoke had tried to manipulate the situation in his favour and use the past ties between her grandfather and him to dupe her. Any ounce of trust she once put into the man, was long gone, his deceit clear and obvious.

Ben sat stoically though she could sense and hear his apprehension about it all. Despite Chewie, Poe and Tallie’s presence and aid in the situation, he still loathed it, fuming that she would be out of reach. They had decided if Rey were to confront him with Ben alongside her, it would unlikely end up far from beneficial. In order to get Snoke to talk and reveal anything that could become his undoing, Rey would play pretend and voice her false concerns about the pack.

She would paint a picture of how she feared the same thing was happening again and that they wished to eliminate another Kenobi from sight so a Solo could steal the role of pack leader from her despite her being the rightful blood heir. This was of course, blatant lies, when Han stood down, Ben and Rey intended to rule together, complete equals in all matters regarding ascendancy.

“You’ve got this,” Poe said, clapping her shoulder.

Her brother despite the lack of blood shared, she appreciated the genuine trust he showed in her. Chewie leaned against the doorway and nodded quietly. The man was perpetually silent around others except Han but he was a motivating influence, someone else to believe in her abilities in her first real test in the pack.

“Thank you.”

The group split into two groups, Poe’s truck sheltered Chewie, Tallie and Poe whereas Ben and Rey slipped into his Mercedes. They would park a block away from the restaurant chosen as the meeting place but remain close by, strolling along the sidewalk.

For the most part, the drive was quiet. A trickling flush of anticipation filled Rey’s body at the thought of confronting the man who had potentially ruined lives and decimated families. Doubt lingered and reared its ugly head and she questioned whether she could pull it off but throughout it, Ben whispered assurances.

Once they reached the city, the traffic slowed, space jammed tight with concrete, and steel structures, Rey slipped into her role of feigned worrier, a concerned woman who felt as if her world was crumbling before her feet.

They parked. Ben leaned across the middle, captured her face with his fingertips and rested his forehead against her own. A low, shaky breath fell from his lips before he kissed her, a deep sensual gesture that soon shifted into a desperate kind of frenzy as if he feared it would be the last they shared. Moaning, she pressed her lips against his own a final time and pulled back, eyeing him thoughtfully.

“I’ll be okay.”

“Please, keep your mind open, I can’t lose you.”

She squeezed his hand.

“You’ll never lose me.”

Ben swallowed hard, his eyes were shifty and wet looking but he let her go. She left the car without looking back, knowing if she did, she would likely run into Ben’s arms and refuse to leave.

Though her journey had only just began, she already felt more than one set of eyes on her as she hurried along the sidewalk, stuffing her hands deep into her pockets.

Tilting her chin high, a steely kind of confidence took root deep and hard as she cleared her mind, advancing towards the man. The restaurant was busy, crowded with patrons in sharp suits and phones to their ears. It was obviously a respectable establishment for wealthy business people but the host was nice enough, only eyeing her sweater and jeans a second longer than what would have been deemed polite.

To her surprise, she was escorted into a back room lined with booths, which was only sparsely populated and dimly lit. Alarm bells rang but she ensured she did not crack or cause any worry for Ben, instead plastering a wide smile on her face as Snoke stood to greet her.

“Reyna, you look beautiful,” Snoke crooned.

It made her nauseous but she shed her coat and placed it on her seat before she shuffled over, the emerald green leather squeaked against her denim jeans.

“Thank you.”

They were left alone; Snoke’s smile more of a leer. In the dim lighting, the gnarly scars that disfigured his face seemed darker and more pronounced- horrid, coiled and sunk too deeply into his skin. They were raised like pink keloids and vicious. If her assumptions were correct about him, she felt a certain kind of glee that someone had inflicted such catastrophic damage to him but mourned that they never finished what they started.

“I presume something is troubling you, child.”

Aware that Snoke had caught her staring; she curled in on herself, evoking the image of a battle worn woman who had been pushed too far. Her shoulders drooped. Sighing, Rey heaved in a breath and began to fidget with the napkin set out in front of her.

“I fear Han and Leia want Ben to rule alone and without me as his co-leader,” she whispered quietly, perusing the area.

Some bulky men in suits sat in the booth beyond their own, the space almost too small to contain them. There were others beyond them but they seemed like regular costumers, eating and chatting happily. Snoke was not alone, that was for certain and she recognised the error in her ways. Meeting in public came with the assumption he would not try anything out of sorts.

Snoke leaned forward, clasping his hands in front of him; his thin fingers were long and his knuckles thick.

“I thought as much would happen, they do not want another Kenobi to hold that kind of power.”

“I see that now.”

Snoke narrowed his eyes a fraction.

“Is that so?”

Rey nodded slowly, pouting just a little bit.

“A body was found, a pack member who had been abducted. It was thought to be Leia’s daughter, Kaydel.”

Snoke was hardly able to hide his sneer at the mention of Kaydel and Leia’s names. It was the first sign of something ever troubling him, a tiny tell, so Rey pressed further, hoping to uncover or startle him more.

“Leia loves Kaydel; she is a ruin without her. The girl is missed terribly.”

“The last I heard, Kaydel was adopted and of no blood relation to Leia so perhaps the ties do not run deep. The Solos like to pick up strays that do not belong to them and make them into something of importance,” Snoke sniffed, sipping a healthy dose of wine.

It stunned Rey, she concentrated, attempting to penetrate and pick at his mind. Was she referring to Kaydel and Hux? The people Leia raised as her own, her daughter and other son. Maybe Snoke was referring to her.

“Why would they do that to Kaydel? Or me?”

“Because they are weak,” he hissed out, finally breaking his façade of calm, his stormy blue eyes were icy cold but burned hot, bulging as a slither of his pointed teeth took purchase in his bottom lip.

“They are the strongest people I know, I have seen it,” Rey insisted.

“Everyone can be fooled, Reyna,” Snoke inched his hand forward, touching her with a featherlight grip but it was enough, it was what would end any faith or semblance of trust in him.

_Rey gasped as his cold fingers curled around her own, sending her hurtling over the cliff edge. Visions flew thick and fast through her mind, she dropped through time, mindlessly spinning as she was bombarded with voices and imagery, all of Snoke and his associates and faces lost and long buried._

_“Padme, bring me, Padme, I must have her.”_

_“Kill them all, if Jyn will not have me, she must be stopped before she grows too powerful. End her mutt of a husband and her daughter too, Luke. Do not fail me.”_

_“You failed!” Snoke growled, sending his hand through Jessika’s chest._

Rey snatched her hand away as if burned, tumbling out of the booth, dropping to her hands and knees as she clawed at the hardwood in an attempt to steady herself.

She felt the tendrils of his icy grip penetrate her mind as he delved in, his eyes locked with hers as he read her and dipped below the surface. It was all too easy in her current state of disarray and fragility, all of the walls she constructed around her mind crumbled as his fingers pulled memories and visions, devouring them with a sick kind of satisfaction.

Reaching out to Ben, she called upon his mental strength and siphoned some of that energy, manipulating the bond in her time of need. With one gargantuan tug, she shoved Snoke out, trembling with exertion.

“It was you! You ordered the death of my parents, you killed Jessika…you tried to take Padme,” she spluttered out.

Her head ached terribly, throbbing and pulsing as her knees grew weak.

Snoke shrugged, standing.

“It seems your omega powers have developed beautifully; I knew you would be strong, ever since your first shift at the age of four. Even then, I felt I would need to have you but your grandfather…he finally saw through me and near enough killed the wolf inside of you with those damn injections. Then he ran away, thinking he could keep you from me.”

Rey shook her head in disbelief. She had shifted before, even younger than Ben had, even though she possessed no recollection of such a traumatic event. It was why Old Ben repressed the wolf inside of her, all he had ever done was meant to protect her from a man he once called a friend.

Everything fell into place, all of it made sense.

“I admit it, I wanted you dead as you were part of your father…Jyn was not his to claim like Padme was not Anakin’s. But you survived the fire and I knew for certain that I needed you…that you would be the omega to rise up and meet my alpha.”

“You’re a monster,” she snarled, standing and advancing on wobbly legs.

The bulky men in suits were on their feet, blocking her access as she sweat freely and rocked, nearly falling again.

“Come with me quietly, Reyna, let’s not make a spectacle here.”

“Never!”

Ben barrelled through the door, followed by Chewie, Poe and Tallie, all ready to lunge.

Rey fell into Ben’s arms, feeling the weight of her waking vision hit and weaken her.

“It seems today is not the day, you best leave quietly,” Snoke warned ominously, his irritation bit through his air of faux niceness.

“If you think you’re leaving, you’re more stupid than you look,” Poe jabbed, shucking his leather jacket off.

Snoke raised his hand and more people slunk out of the booths, guns raised in their direction. There were at least a dozen of them, all intimidating and impassive, ready to jump and do their master’s bidding.

“It would be a shame for more lives to be lost; I suggest leaving before you are in no position to do otherwise, pup.”

Rey clung to Ben, hearing the growl that rumbled deep from his chest.

Next to Rey, he was the highest ranked and so he bit his tongue and gazed at everyone.

“Let’s go.”

“But-”

“Now,” he said lowly, lifting Rey into his arms. He cradled her close to his chest, keeping her close.

Snoke’s manic laugh sounded their departure as Rey lay limply, eyes heavy and breathing laboured.

“If you ever try come near her again, I’ll kill you myself,” Ben bit out, a fierce and weighty promise.

_“I’ll see you soon, Reyna,” Snoke whispered into her mind before she lost consciousness._

* * *

Rey came to half way back to the cabin, which resulted in a tense journey home. Adrenaline flared in her veins, lighting them up like live wires ready to burst and jump from her skin. Unable to control herself, her nails extended, revealing sharp claws as tears blurred her vision.

Ben’s hand gripped her thigh, a firm kind of anchorage to keep her from falling further.

“You need to calm down.”

Exhaling harshly, she curled her fingers into a fist, ignoring the stinging pain in her palm.

“How can I? He was behind it all and I fell for his bait and lies. He is the reason my parents are dead, he tried to turn me against you…he wants to take me away from you,” She growled out, feeling her eyes contract once and then mutate into the refined golden irises of her inner wolf.

“I know but you can’t let your anger overcome you. We will avenge them but we need to be smart about this, he’s a powerful man with a legion of followers at his back. If we fought him head on, the potential of losing is too great,” Ben retorted, lowering his hand to squeeze her knee.

For once, his touch did little to tame the beast inside of her. Rey wanted to see Snoke torn down and his blood spilled, she craved the release that would come with ending his reign of terror.

Blinking hot tears out of her eyes, she pulled her claws back in and scrubbed her face hard, bouncing her knee high in the small space of Ben’s Mercedes that did not afford enough room for the outburst she wished to unleash. Control was difficult, something she knew was the best option but the thought wounded her, she could not quite stomach it.

The truck behind them carrying Poe, Tallie and Chewie lit up the inside of the car, sending fleeting shadows throughout. Rain pelted the windscreen, coming down hard and fast from the night sky above so she focused on the wet trails, endless falling slithers drooling across the glass, until they reached the lake.

Ben manoeuvred his car with brilliant expertise, perusing and gliding down the backroads with relative ease despite the difficult terrain and lack of proper tracks or gravel.

“We’ll stay with my parents tonight just as a precaution. Now that Snoke knows we are aware of what he’s done, we can’t take any chances. We are stronger clustered together,” Ben explained, his own grip on the steering wheel was white knuckled but he was trying to remain composed despite the rage boiling within him.

In her own kind of self-centred way, she forgot that Snoke had not only ripped her family apart but the Solo’s and Skywalker’s too.

“Okay, I’ll follow your lead,” she whispered, relaxing into her seat, breathing true and even.

This seemed to appease Ben and his uncontrollable need to protect her from threats, his alpha roared louder than it had ever done before and she knew his façade would crumple if he were tested.

“Thank you.”

He entwined their fingers, his digits slick with sweat, brought them up to his lips, and left a kiss there.

Once they reached the cabin, Rey bolted from the car, not wishing to be caught in the onslaught and peppering barrage of cold rain. Though her exposure to the elements was brief, it pelted down on her like heavy liquid hail, drenching her from head to toe. Her flats filled with rainwater, leaving her cold, her shivers ran deep.

Winter was fast approaching; the daylight was shadowed with the lingering darkness that fringed, swallowing up the sun earlier and earlier with every passing day. A cold front was on the horizon.

Leaping up the steps in twos and threes, she wrapped her arms across her chest and then opened the door, thankfully met with a wall of thick, welcoming heat, undoubtedly from the fire in the main living room. Logs crackled and popped, a delight to her ears.

Shaking her wet hair out of her face, she heard Ben and the others behind her, Poe cursing the rain and so she strolled inwards, halting when she entered the living room.

Luke sat with Hux and Phasma on either side of him, smiling wide as he made pleasantries with a tense looking Han and Leia. Each gripped the armrests of their chairs. Han looked pale, weary and older than she had ever seen him.

Once Luke caught sight of Rey, his beady blue eyes gleamed with a territorial sort of glint like the cat who had hunted down the mouse. As confident as she remembered him to be, he splayed out on the couch, with no consideration for personal space or respect. His booted feet rested upon the coffee table, bobbing along to a tune no one else could hear. It tracked wet mud over the polished wood but he appeared remorseless or too self absorbed to care. The hem of his trouser legs rode up, revealing wooly grey socks and a sheathed knife around his ankle.

In a second, he could flip like the unstable creature he was, one who hunted and killed without apparent care for the destruction he brought upon his own kind. This time, she was ready for him.

Luke stood, opening his arms wide in way of greeting. A concurrent mixture of enmity arose within her, blazing and bristling like hot embers, branding her flesh in anger and its remains.

“I told you we’d be seeing each other again.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cat is out of the bag...


	23. Last

Heat.

It crept into her blood, flooding her veins and fuelled the rolling, broiling anger and disgust within her. A million different scenarios swept through her mind plundering all rationality, devouring it and leaving toxic remnants of fiery rage behind. 

Swallowing it back, she stood rooted to the spot and attempted to quell her turbulent thoughts. Impulsivity seemed like an attribute closely tied to her transformation, before that, she had never been quick to anger or act without rational thinking. Sometimes, it acted as an affliction, something to ruin her whilst in some situations, she relied on it and saw how beneficial it could be to her survival. Gritting her teeth, she pressed her lips into a thin line and balled her hands into fists, keeping them taut against her thighs. The effort to rein herself in was astronomical but it was a requirement, something she needed to do.

It was no easy feat, his small, beady blue eyes were brimming with bold, barefaced satisfaction at the sign of her struggle and obvious shock.

Thundered cracked outside, a loud boom split open the sky with white electric heat. The downpour rushed and showered the cabin windows in an unrelenting and heavy pitter-patter. 

The events of the day had long tested her self restraint and left her weakened in both the mental and physical sense. The waking vision had crept up on her so quietly, a fierce and sudden jolt to stun her, which in turn, exhausted her mind, body and spirit. Fuelled solely by adrenaline alone, she maintained her rigid, ramrod posture, unwilling to budge or allow her mask of cold indifference to slip.

Luke grinned widely, though it was far from friendly, underneath it all was a hidden malice, buried deep and deceptively. It left her reeling, the telltale signature of bubbling anger simmered below her skin and threatened to spill up and out.

He lowered his hands after his initial greeting and it was enough to envision how he had once used them against her. The calloused digits had curled and enclosed around her throat, crushing it in an almost successful attempt to squeeze the life right out of her. 

Avenging her parents was something she wished for and perhaps she could succeed in the enclosed space of the cabin, surrounded by more allies than enemies. The thought was quickly replaced by the vision that had came to her the night before and that instilled her with a new kind of reprieve and strength to bury her hatred into a fathomless pit. As one day, his end would come by her own hands and he would be the one on his knees and begging for mercy.

It was enough, it had to be.

Consciously aware of the two other unwelcome presences in the room, she clamped her mouth shut and let her eyes veer towards Hux who openly glared in her direction. Time did not heal his hidden wounds or tarnished pride and so it came as no surprise that he was unable to hide his obvious disdain of her. Their last meeting had been rife with bloodshed, each side inflicting ample damage that resulted in his departure which extended not only to the pack, but his family too.

In the light of the fire, his face burned hot and red, a scarlet flush lit up his cheek bones and carried itself to the tips of his ears. 

Now was the time to let the past die.

Her past and recent experiences had moulded her into something better, an improved version of the already strengthened woman she was before the night where one accidental bite had changed the course of her life forever. Emotions easily could have overtaken her then, confronted with three people who had hurt her beyond belief and shadowed all she was. But now, she had a reputation to uphold, one of fairness and dignity due to the responsibility that came with her new position as co-heir to the pack. Members would observe and turn to her as an example and pillar of strength.

No longer exerting herself, she exhaled and listened to the heavy footsteps approaching her from the back. Turning to face Ben, she watched as he came to the realisation that his uncle was inside his family home, a brutal kind of intrusion. Alphas were hot-headed and prone to lashing out so she gripped his forearm and wordlessly pleaded for him to calm. It was difficult for him, his eyes shifted between her and the visitors but she whispered reassurances into his mind and kept a firm hold on his arm. Soon enough, he visibly relaxed even if it was only a tiny fraction, the touch of omegas could calm even the most wild of men. 

Instead of following his instincts and decimating the threats that sat so close to people he loved, he stepped in front of her protectively, shielding her body with his own and scanned the room briefly before addressing his mother.

“What is he doing here?”

Rey was surprised at how utterly terrifying he sounded though he did not raise his voice, he kept his tone hushed, level and low. There was a deadly edge to it, a might and unmistakable warning.

“Now, nephew, this was once my home, I was born within these walls,” Luke taunted, sitting once again. Like before, he rested his muddy boots on the coffee table, leaving dirt there.

“You lost the right to call it your home or me your nephew after you betrayed this family and began killing innocent people,” Ben replied hotly.

From a glimpse into his mind, she could feel his turmoil, so much hotter than hers had been as he attempted to dismiss his instincts and his natural tendency to protect her without thought.

“None of our kind is innocent, Ben, that is where you’re blind.”

“Enough!” Han stood, plucked up a glass of whiskey from the table and drained the glass in one gulp.

Everyone quieted then, even Leia did not go against his word. He was the pack leader, someone who should be respected and followed. Heaving out a weary sigh, he leaned heavily against the bar. The clink of bottles signalled he was pouring himself another.

Chewie, Poe and Tallie entered then. 

“What the fuck?” Poe whispered. 

“Well, if it isn’t golden boy, nice to see you’ve finally returned from your galavanting around Europe,” Hux quipped in return.

Leia shot him an warning glance, her lip curled up to reveal her teeth and her eyes, the ones Ben had inherited from her, narrowed into tiny slits. Rey admired the show of power and strength from her, even Ben appeared nervous at the possibility of Leia’s potential wrath.

A mother had warned her wayward son and she would only do so once.

“Quiet, now is not the time for silly little games, I raised you better than this!”

Scolded, Hux reclined, folding his arms loosely across his chest and Poe scratched the back of his neck, palming it as he looked away sheepishly.

Chewie huffed and escorted Tallie from the room, a subtle nod from Han excused the younger woman who seemed terribly unnerved by the hunter’s presence. Rey envied their escape from the situation. 

Seemingly unable to help himself, Luke fiddled in his pocket and produced Rey’s family pendant, dangling it towards her.

“My pendant!”

It was an unexpected sight, something she had longed for since the day he had cruelly torn it from around her neck. It was an extension of herself and something to forever tie her to her family, a physical representation of the line she had come from which had survived generations.

“Indeed, the trunk was delivered to your cabin whilst you were away today. I am a man of my word.”

Ben scoffed, quickly stepping forward to snatch the pendant away from his uncle who offered no resistance, letting the gold chain slip through his fingertips. 

“What did you find out?” Leia asked, standing as she took her place by Han, her gaze falling on Rey.

Rey kept her eyes trained on Luke as she spoke, recalling everything, more than ready to reveal what she had suspected for a while. Luke was no tyrant in control of an army, no, he was a puppet for a man who was more than willing for him to take the fall and bloody his hands in his place.

“Snoke is behind it all. He hired Luke to kill my parents and he killed Jessika. I saw it all…Leia, I’m sorry but he ordered your mother’s kidnapping, I think he has Kaydel.”

Padme’s death had torn the family apart and left a gaping hole in all of their hearts. Kaydel’s abduction had done the same.

Leia stumbled, momentarily shaken and retreated back, falling into Han’s arms, her face white and ghostly.

”She lies! Snoke had no interest in our mother!” Luke snapped out, every bit the rabid cur she remembered.

“You’re a blinded fool, he is responsible for her death!” Rey warned lowly, pointing her finger at him.

But he did not see her, only her hand.

“That ring…it belongs to me!”

Gazing down at her engagement ring, she shook her head.

“No, it doesn’t. Your nephew proposed to be with it, just as his grandmother would have wished him to do so.”

“Last chance, Rey, give it to me.”

Rey did not move

Chaos erupted, one moment Luke was standing before them as a man and the next, after a crescendo of bones snapping and muscles straining, he appeared as a grey wolf and leapt towards her. Ben pushed her away, she fell to the ground, landing awkwardly on her side after she failed to catch herself.

Ben was quick, shifting as he barrelled in front of Luke, connecting with a vicious clashing of teeth and pent up resentment. Leia screamed, narrowly avoiding the rolling wolves as they clawed and bit, leaving destruction in their wake. Poe restrained Rey, she wanted nothing more than to aid Ben but he would not allow it. Hux and Phasma jumped to their feet, clearly stunned by the turn of events, leaping out of the way as Ben swiped at Luke, having gained the advantage of top position.

Han smashed his glass into the fireplace and let out a mighty roar.

“STOP RIGHT NOW! Shift, the both of you!”

The intensity of the alpha command even made Rey cease all movement and the wolves soon followed. In the blink of an eye, they were back in human form, dishevelled but each of their wounds were healing rapidly.

Ben had gotten the best out of Luke. 

Rey, finally free from Poe’s grasp, rushed towards his heaving form and helped him to his feet. She palmed chest, seeing nothing drastically damning and peered up at Han.

“You will leave this land and never return, if I find you here again, you’ll be killed on sight. You even look at my son, his mate or anyone in the pack again and I will rip out your heart.”

Luke wobbled to his feet and desperately looked towards Leia.

Through her tears, she glared.

“You are lost and no longer the brother I once knew. You’re dead to me,” it was a brutal dismissal.

Hux and Phasma left, side stepping around the wreckage but Luke, apparently unwilling to face that his twin had finally reached her limit, remained.

“Leia, you don’t mean that!”

Leia straightened her back and walked towards him, steely in her resolve and fight.

“I meant every word. Luke Skywalker died decades ago, I don’t know the monster who stands in front of me now, the one who would turn on his family and try to kill his own nephew!”

“He got in the way-”

“You were told leave, I never want to see you again!” Leia shrieked.

Luke gazed around for a moment, tears streaming down his face. It was the only time she had seen him weakened and vulnerable but he too left, disappearing into the night.

It was a new beginning but also the end.

xxx

That night, they chose to retreat to their own cabin, in need of space to decompress and breathe without eyes upon them. Both were content in the belief that the moonstones would offer their protection once more. It was an almost perfect force, an almighty show of the moon’s strength but they were fully aware that Luke could penetrate it, the blood shared between him and Ben the only chink in its armour. Vigilant and alert they would remain but Rey was fairly certain when Luke had left, he did so with no desire to return, scorned by the sister who had always made excuses for his unforgivable behaviour. 

For the first time in his life, he was truly alone and without the offered hand of his twin, the ever present presence in his life. A warped kind of satisfaction came along with that knowledge to Rey. When he killed her parents, he ripped away any chance of her knowing that deep parental love and left her heart hollow, beating but only partially whole. It was his time to suffer or carry loss, the type that cut inwards and left innards black and barely functioning.

It was befitting, a black blight for a black heart.

Sitting, she observed the flames in the fireplace, lost it in the amber blue dance of wooden decay. Crackles and pops emanated around the space, the heat warmed her through. For a while, she sat, cross legged and arms outstretched, basking in the light and all encompassing warmth, contemplating the past and future alike, a circle of time seemingly churning in a constant loop of repetition. 

What happened before would not happen again, she would not fall like Padme who died without so much as a whisper and with the man she loved desperately palming her wound as wet red ribbons spilled through his fingers. No, Ben and her were the chosen ones and they would end the cycle of hurt and break free from it and carve their own legacy, one with hope at the epicentre of it all. She could feel it, even if her visions omitted her fate in their fleeting inserts of possibilities and so called truths. 

With the Kenobi pendant back around her neck, laying heavy against her heart, she felt a little more whole, as if the entirety of her bloodline including her parents and grandfather, were with her and guiding her onwards. The blue of the crystal seemed to glow and spew fire in front of the blaze but it retained its colour, the pale periwinkle that resembled the moon that governed high above. Thumbing the emblem, she traced the family motto that was engraved deep into the gold metal, reciting the words time and time again.

“Kenobi’s are strong, we will never break.”

Feeling the pull towards Ben more than ever, she rose up, tugging her shirt over her head, dropping it to the ground. Hooking her thumbs in the waistband of her jeans and panties, she slid them down her legs until they pooled at her feet to which she stepped out and followed the sound of running water.

She found him in the bath, arms draped over the rim and eyes closed, his lower half submerged completely. The area was dimmed with only the gentle flares of tea light candles illuminating the space. As soon as she stepped on the tiles, his eyelids fluttered open, the cedar wood of his eyes appeared dark but receptive of her. 

Approaching him, she dipped her toes in the hot water between his legs, stepping up and then down, mindful not to intrude too much. Ben had other ideas, his fingertips pressed a hot kiss to her hips and pulled her upwards onto his thighs and then pressed her back against his chest.

Sinking into the water, she relaxed, exhaling as steam rolled about the surface. Ben hummed and pressed a kiss into her hair, his forearms melted around her middle as they lay there, neither wishing to move in that moment.

“Despite all that’s happened, I wouldn’t have changed a thing. Having you by my side is the only thing I ever could’ve wished for,” he whispered. 

The words resonated with her. Though their romance was filled with surrounding blemishes and consequences, it was all she ever wanted, ever since the first time she laid eyes on him. From the beginning, she was his and would only ever be his. 

“You’re all I’ll ever want. I love you, Ben, more than I could ever express,” she choked out, her voice thick with emerging surges of hot love and adoration.

“Don’t be afraid, I feel that too. Together, we will make it through this, I promise, sweetheart.”

Rey blinked and then shifted, some of the water jostled and spilled over the sides of the tub but she could not find it within her to care. She draped herself across his body, gazing upwards at him as she rested her palms on his chest and dragged herself upwards. 

His hair, dark and longer than she had ever seen it before, was damp and covered half of his face but she found his lips, the simple tilt of his chin aided in her want to taste him. It was a slow thing at first, just an easy kiss that meant far more than words could say. He was there to meet her, his long fingers carded through her hair and brought her closer still. 

He lit up her senses and freed her mind of worry, consuming her and making sweet havoc of her insides. This was tangible, this was her reality. Ben was real, solid and clear, her alpha and mate. One day she would take his name and carry his children and because of that, she would fight for her life and in turn, cling to him, her natural protector and lover.

“My beautiful omega, I would fight for you with my last breath,” he murmured, cementing the words with another smoothing of plush flesh against her own.

It turned desperate then, she could hardly contain the whine that fell from her lips. 

“Alpha, please, I need you.”

Never one to waste time, he sat up, bringing her with him and stood, helping her out of the tub. After he blowed out the candles, they were left in darkness but they could see well enough, another advantage that came with the peculiar bloodlines and gift from the pale giant. 

His arms looped around her waist, snatching her off her feet as he rushed towards the bedroom. Together, they fell on the sheets, wetting and soaking them in their haste and rolling of damp bodies. This was what she needed. She pawed at his chest and then his shoulders, clawing into the flesh in an audacious rush to pull him where she desired him the most.

His hulking body shadowed her own, dripping water endlessly and loving voraciously. Like a man possessed and intoxicated, he scoured her chest, sucking her nipple into his mouth whilst he palmed the other one, kneading it soft and hard, calm and mad. 

Insanity, she was sure she would fall into a heady delirium under him but she was more than willing and craving only what he could offer. Ben closed his eyes and nudged her legs apart with his knee, jutting his hips against the mattress as he took his fill. Losing herself to sensation, she spread her legs further, feeling the slick coat the mattress below and his stomach. Moaning, she dug the heels of her feet into the back of his thighs, a silent urging of his actions.

One by one, he rolled her nipples against his tongue, alternating between sucking and simply kissing. The contrast was startling and set a fire much lower, she burned for him, ached for that dominant craving. Tugging at his hair, her fingertips grazed his scalp and he gazed at her then, his eyes were coated in a crimson glimmer, a telltale sign of his inner alpha and wolf, the instinctual being behind the man. The shift was rapid, as if the two were coming forth as one until finally, the cedar-wood of his irises were swallowed up completely. 

It called to her. In that state, he was more than just a man, he was the embodiment of her counterpart, one who relinquished control and responsibility for hot passion. Perpetually, he pinned her and in response, she breathed deeply, feeling the delicate release of her own omega as she took her place in her face, lighting it up in yellow gold.

Ben smirked, cocking his head to the side as he rose higher, capturing her lips once again. With a sharp graze of his teeth, he tugged her bottom lip into his mouth and sucked, his fingers fringed the insides of her thighs, climbing higher and higher until they reached her cunt. Without any delay, he inched two fingers inside of her liquid heat, curling them upwards into that sweet spot inside of her that he had mapped long ago, memorising the reactions that came with brushing against it. 

Rey howled, the primal sound torn straight from her throat without notice.

“That’s it, my little omega, scream for me, you sing so prettily,” he huffed out, claiming her mating spot with a loud suckle.

Reduced to a mewling mess, she did exactly that, babbling and panting, the mixture of his tongue at her gland and his fingers knuckle deep and fucking her loud and soundly was enough to reduce her to something else, a basic being lost in essentia where all she needed was her alpha to mate her time and time again. 

“Please, I need you.”

“You need me in what way, Rey?” Ben teased, detaching himself from her neck, his face hovering just above her own.

Emboldened and hungry, she shot a scathing look his way and sent her hand on a downward journey. There, she felt his cock and gripped it, pumping it a couple of times quite roughly.

He spat a string of curses down at her.

“I want you to fuck me.”

Ben’s crimson eyes widened and his mouth gaped at her forwardness but a brilliant grin soon lit up his features as he rolled his hips, his cock rubbing into her palm as he withdrew his fingers. He brought them to his mouth, licking each digit clean with an obscene moan.

“Take it,” he dared her.

Never one to shy from a challenge, she kept her eyes trained on him as she lifted her hips and pulled his cock ever closer until the tip rested at her entrance. He sucked in a ragged breath, propping himself on his elbows and caged either side of her face. With one final adjustment, she coaxed him inwards, her cunt filled with his weeping cock.

“Fuck,” they cried out in unison.

The stretch was always delicious and fulfilling, the kind she would feel for days afterwards. Her arms flew around his body, her nails sunk into his shoulder blades and urged him to move, swivelling her own body.

He came undone.

Nothing was gentle about it.

It was the sort of movement that she knew she would be left feeling for days, a pleasurable ache that would remain even if they were apart and no longer joined. 

Burying himself to the hilt, Ben hissed as her cunt squelched wetly. It was the sound of coming home, a return to a place that only he would ever claim. Gasping, she panted, groping at his back as he captured her lips in his, his hot breaths fanned against her face before the connection. 

With his lips upon her, he drove between her legs, thrusting languidly then wildly, alternating in speed and angle. Underneath him, she was smothered in physical representations of his love and she could barely contain it, clamping around his cock sporadically as she tried to chase her impending release.

Desperation took hold of them, Ben dug his fingernails into her hips and rocked them just how he wanted, making her fuck herself on his cock as he slid forward, taking his fill. It was no slow dance, her walls lined copiously with slick meant it soon evolved into a feverish and most wicked drag of his cock with no resistance in sight.

At that feverish pace, it was hard to believe that only hours before he had been fighting and painted bloody in defence of her. 

“Nothing compares to this, Rey, you’re mine, all mine,” he chanted hoarsely, the crimson of his irises diluted as the burnt umber in them battled through. This was Ben, he was there.

The flickering of his eyes continued as he pummelled into her, dipping his face low to bend and lick a hot stripe across the curve of her collarbone. Hot palms on her thighs spread her wider, splayed out like that, he pushed deeper, making her scream.

Tugging at his hair, she mewled and slipped her fingers through the raven tresses, guiding him to the junction of her neck and shoulder, to that special place that would heighten everything. The intent was well received and Ben slurped loudly as he encased her mating gland with his lips and tongue, rendering her pliant and boneless.

Adjusting their positions with a guided push of his palms, he raised her calves and brought her knees up towards her chest. It allowed him to sink deeper and make her his, she swallowed him whole until she could take no more. Ben grunted, huffing out before he enclosed his hand around her own and brought it between them, directing her fingers over her throbbing clit.

“I’m not going to last, I need to feel you come around my cock, Rey.”

The words alone spurred on her release, knowing that he would soon lose himself and fill her up, it was what she wanted, a primal whisper that manifested and spanned since the dawn of time. Together, she worked both of their fingertips over the hardened nub, rubbing them in tight little circles, not bothering to tease or dip any lower.

“I need your knot, alpha, Ben, please,” she whimpered, possessing no qualms about how needy she sounded.

Because she did need him, she demanded all he could give as if it was essential to her survival, without him, she would not be able to function or breathe easy. 

He spluttered, dropping her knees so she caged in his heaving body, resting them against his ribs and nudged his ass with her feet until he fastened his speed. 

Then she came, convulsing, she cried out and drew him in by clenching wildly as the waves took hold of her body, spreading the natural cocktail of chemicals, oxytocin and serotonin flooding thick and fast.

“Fuck,” Ben growled, panting into her mouth.

With a few more jerky thrusts, he came, spilling inside of her. His knot only added to the feeling of fullness, an evolutionary trait to encourage reproductive chance. It nudged against her g spot and so she came again, sweat laden and ruined, she cradled Ben closer, desperately wishing she could drown under the weight of him.

It took him a minute to come down but soon enough, he rolled them into a more comfortable position.

Laid back, she basked in the bliss that followed, eyes heavy and body sated. Before she slept, a final thought crossed her mind, of how to sum up the ethereal experience that was their act of carnality.

It was like their first joining all over again but there was something else, a feeling she could not ignore... it felt like the very last time as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will probably be the last chapter until the New Year but oh, the next chapter is what I have been building up to!
> 
> Thank you to all that still reads this, I love you all <3


	24. Take

The morning after brought more rain.

A petrichor emanated from the soil, wafting under the door. The natural and earthy scent came as some kind of relief; it washed away the evidence of the day before, ridding the land of the unwanted traces of uninvited monsters. A sweet symphony tapped against the window, a lulling tune. Starting anew with a revitalised sense of intimacy and togetherness, she detached herself from Ben, leaving a trail of hot kisses from his abdomen all the way up to his half parted lips.

Seeing him so utterly at ease in sleep was something she wished would follow him, always. One day that hope would come to fruition, there was little doubt in her mind. As a unit alongside the pack, they would settle the past and obstruct it from repeating itself once again. 

Gathering some clothes, she tiptoed towards the bathroom. The mementos of their love making the night before stuck sticky to the inside of her thighs. Although some part of her rejoiced at the scent and the distinct show of her mate’s indisputable claim on her, she knew that now was not the time to wear it so shamelessly, not while the events of the day before sunk in and the new grief that followed it.

The spray of the shower was hot, filling the room with plumes of steam, leaving wet condensation in its wake. The water alone was enough to cleanse her so for a while, she simply enjoyed the sensation, acutely aware of the ache between her legs with every movement, no matter how minimal. When he took her, he always left a delicious imprint like any large alpha should and Ben was the epitome of what an alpha should be. Strong and protective, his hulking body could hardly contain the passion within.

Twisting her neck, she wet her hair, the traces of sweat and the pheromones that bled from her pores were swept away into the drain below her feet. Later, she would ask him to have her again but until then, she would rely on their bond and the bites on her forearm and neck to suffice as reminders that she was forever his.

The night before had been dreamless despite that gnawing feeling that followed, the one which whispered wrongness in her mind and told her that she would never love like that again. Unable to pinpoint the source, she blamed it on her exhaustion and tiredness from the day and acknowledgement that Snoke was the mastermind of it all. He stood as the morbid puppeteer of destruction who wove heartache so expertly into his strings that reached far and wide without discrimination for their victim. They had once touched even her, sinking in like malice barbs deep below the surface but the truth had set her loose.

Free of his manipulation, she stood on her own two feet but it still left a acrid taste in her mouth like a bitter pill slipped beneath her tongue, over just how close he had come to swaying her to his so called truths. 

Lost in thought, she failed to hear Ben’s silent approach so when his hands encased her waist and his nose nuzzled into her hair then shoulder, she startled, laughing softly.

“Good morning,” he hummed.

His fingertips roamed higher before he plucked a bar of rose scented soap from the shelf and began sudsing his palms. Slowly, he cleaned her, kneeling when he reached the inside of her thighs. His fingers were far more thorough than her own were and she delighted in the simple care he offered, it was intimate and a great tell of his loving heart.

When he finished with her body, he squirted a liberal dose of shampoo into her hair and massaged it into her scalp, taking his time to lavish it with care and attention. 

“I could get used to this,” she murmured when he directed her under the spray to wash it all sway.

“I’ll do it every single day if you wanted it.”

When she was clean, skin pink and hair damp and shiny, she returned the favour, first stepping on her tiptoes to reach his hair. They found a compromise, he bent low and leaned against the tiles as she worked, running her hands across the expansive plains of hard muscle and long limbs. When she took his cock in hand, she may have veered from just cleaning it but he did not seem to care as she worked him until he came on her belly.

After, side by side, they brushed their teeth together; she leaned heavily into his side and bumped his hips with her own. The quiet domestic bliss was fresh to them despite the worrying times ahead. In that moment, they were just an average couple, engaged and looking toward the future with hope and enjoying the blissful moments of ignorance before reality set in.

After they dressed, in which Rey chose practical clothes, finding some thick leggings and one of Ben’s oversized No Doubt band t-shirts, they settled in the living room. The shirt was warm and smelled of him, she found herself inhaling more and more, eager for the comfort that came with his pine and firewood scent.

Ben’s grey sweatpants hung vicariously low on his hips, the taut lines leading downwards something of a distraction to Rey. In keeping with his typical casual attire, he donned a white undershirt and sea green plaid shirt, well worn and soft, with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows.

The clanking of pots and pans sounded from the kitchen as he set about making breakfast, the drool-worthy scent of bacon drifted in to where she stacked logs in the fireplace and lit them, stoking until a full fire burned before her eyes.

Tucked away in the corner of the room was her grandfather’s trunk. It was as if it had not been absent for weeks, pillaged by Luke or his minions in their quest to rid the world of wolves. It made her skin crawl as if they had desecrated the treasures within but at least some part of her history survived. Though she did not trust or tolerate Luke in the slightest, she hoped he was a man of his word and that all of the items would be accounted for. 

Without plans, she decided she would scour the trunk for answers. It was a piece of history and tied closely to her family in which she would use in understanding everything and gaining more insights where her visions left holes or did not delve too deep.

It was her only hope.

“Rey, breakfast’s ready.”

She wandered into the kitchen, following her nose and sat across the small kitchen table opposite Ben. Bacon, scrambled eggs and french toast were piled high on her plate, a mammoth portion to equal his own. Since her change, her appetite had increased significantly, leaving her hungry in more ways than one. Trailing her bare feet along his calves, she dug in, sipping some orange juice between bites.

“I was thinking that I should go see my mother.”

Rey chewed her food thoughtfully, digging her fork into a slice of bacon, barely pausing as she scooped it up.

“I think you should, she has stood by Luke for so long. He might have done terrible things but he is her twin, cutting him out of her life will still weigh heavy on her.”

“I’m proud of her, as a kid, I never understood their bond and now, it’s as if she’s seen the light for the first time and seen him for the monster he is.”

Nodding her head in agreement, she nudged his hand with her own.

“Kaydel is missing and Luke could be involved since Snoke is behind it. Hux has obviously been lured in by false promises. Your mother will need you more than ever.”

Ben’s dark eyes appraised her for a brief moment; he swallowed hard and exhaled, dropping his fork so he could run his fingers through his damp hair. For years, she had seen him do it in times of stress, a nervous habit he could not seem to kick.

“You’re right, I’ll go, do you want to join me?”

Finding herself gazing behind her at the trunk, she shook her head.

“I wanted to look through the trunk and search for some more answers; do you think that would be okay?”

Though she did not require his permission, she wanted to consult with him. Times were tough and she could practically taste how he wanted nothing more than to protect her.

For a moment, he thought it over, working his bottom lip between his teeth.

“If you stay in the cabin, I think that’ll be fine. The perimeter duties have been increased and only Luke can enter the cabin so I think the chances are slim that anything could happen.”

“If you’re not sure, I can come with you,” she tried, not wishing to open him up to any more stress or worry.

“No, it’ll be okay. I will return at lunchtime. Just keep the bond open and let me know if anything worries you, I can be here in a minute if need be.”

The smile he offered was genuine and so she agreed and the two settled into a mutual silence as they finished their meal.

Ben left soon after, kissing her soundly and soft, lingering a little more than usual and holding her tight. Only when she promised to keep the door locked and assured him that under no circumstance would she close the bond between them, did he leave. His walk was a slow one, a gentle stroll towards his parent’s cabin and he kept glancing backwards at her perched by the window.

When he was out of sight, she set her attentions towards the trunk. It had been a while since she had seen it so she took it in. The engraved patterns and etchings were undamaged, the leaves and trees still so delicately beautiful. Nestled in the centre were the symbols of the omega and alpha. Before, they had caused heartache. When she thought she was a beta, it seemed as if she was unworthy of Ben, his alpha status clear, his true counterpart was an omega. The crimson on the alpha symbol and the gold of the omega symbol now came with hope. Neither had come across others with their eye colour and so she felt as if they could fulfil the prophecy.

Put simply, they were meant to be.

A thrilling but daunting sense of anticipation came with the lifting of the lid, the hinges creaked at the opening, the faint, musty scent of old books and ink drifted outwards. It was a smell she had long associated with her grandfather who always insisted on the preservation of literature, especially his beloved favourites. Some of his rarer first editions sat at the bottom of the trunk, the likes of Mary Shelley’s ‘Frankenstein’ and Montague Summers’ ‘The Werewolf.’ 

Did he see himself as a monster? Did the death of Padme reduce him to thinking of himself as a failure?

Reflecting, she hummed, eyeing the works and wondering if it had been Old Ben’s way of disclosing their heritage without spoken words, only written ones. Now, they were the only ones left, his voice lost over a year ago. Still, hope remained. There was still so much he could confess in the form of handwritten whispers.

All seemed in order. 

Photo albums were stacked neatly in one corner next to the metal boxes containing the concoction that once stunted her natural development. The act had not been pleasant, writhing as convulsions took hold of her and the wolfsbane made poisonous fire in her veins but she understood the necessity of it all now.

Her grandfather had attempted to protect her from Snoke and his icy reaches. Everything made sense, they had always travelled. For the duration of her childhood, she had moved countless times, never remaining in one place for more than a few months. Back then, it was an adventure, she saw most of their country and the beauty of each state. The only constant place in her life was the cabin where they would return to for each summer.

If only she had known, they were running.

It was no game, their survival and freedom relied on their flight.

Running was no longer an option.

Nor did she want to. Fears were best confronted. Their hold over a person waned that way, rendering them powerless.

A blue journal first caught her attention accented in silver lines and embossed with a crescent moon to match. Lifting it up, she opened the cover, treating it with the respect it deserved. It was delicate. Upon opening, she immediately recognised her grandfather’s writing, it was blocky and neat.

Skimming through the pages, she found the dates spanned from before she was born, right onto the final year of his life. Her mother’s name stood out.

_’Jyn asked Alistair Snoke for his concoction to hide her omega scent from Luke. If Luke knew of her true status, he would likely obsess over her. The death of his mother warped him from the blue-eyed boy I had seen being born to a man lost to us.’_

Swallowing hard, she eyed the words. It certainly explained why Luke did not her mother was an omega. He had once referred to Rey as the first omega he had come across since the death of his mother and his awe of her had not been missed despite his actions. What Old Ben had not know was that it was Snoke who was obsessed with omegas. First came Padme, then Jyn and now her. 

Flipping forward, she noted the day her mother died. 

_‘Rey is the only light in my life now.’_

Her eyes blurred with tears. She missed him more than ever. After taking a few moments to let the weight of everything sink in, she kept going.

_‘Snoke was behind it all. Luke found us and quickly confessed. I can’t fight Snoke and his followers alone. Especially with little Rey. Her first transformation is the earliest shifting in our recorded history, closely followed by Ben Solo. It must mean something, the chosen ones have shone. Snoke wants her. After I bargain with him for his concoctions to inhibit her inner wolf, we will run. He mustn’t find her. It’s too risky to contact Han and Leia at the moment; I can’t expose them to this.’_

Blinking, she closed the journal.

Therefore, it seemed as if he knew her and Ben were meant to be. It brought some light into the situation, if the prophecy was to be believed, they would end any conflict and bring peace to their kind. That kind of change and peace could only come with loss and destruction.

A small folder was next. A few documents slipped out, first was a photo of Kaydel she recognised well enough. Ben had a string of photos of her, Hux and him in his office, all of varying ages.

It was odd for Old Ben to have.

Thumbing through the documents, she found the adoption papers from when Han and Leia officially took her in. But there was more enclosed in another packet with bold words like ‘sealed court order,’ she frowned, scanning the pages.

Due to Ben, she had known that they had found Kaydel in an orphanage and were first drawn in by her subtle wolf scent.

Out slipped her birth certificate-the original one free of Han and Leia’s names.

Gasping, she stood, rereading the document.

Her mother was listed as Jaina Ventress. Nothing about that name stood out but the father did. Andrew Snoke was listed as the father.

There were a few possibilities that came to mind but one was glaring. Could Andrew Snoke be the son of Alistair Snoke? If he was…it meant that Kaydel was not a random abduction victim. 

She was Snoke’s granddaughter.

They all needed to know.

Leaving the cabin, she raced down the steps, rushing forward with the intent of telling everyone what she had found out, it changed everything. It was noon and soon she hoped to meet Ben halfway as he promised to come home for lunch.

All too late did she see the men surrounding the cabin. Luke and Snoke stood at the front of the group, Phasma and Hux at their backs in wolf form.

It came back to her, the flash of blonde and red, the one from her vision. It seemed she had changed the future but only marginally so. She was alone and vulnerable. Stopping in her tracks, she gaped, torn with indecision.

If she brought Ben into this, he would pay a price. In the first vision, he had fallen, crying out in pain before telling her to run as he lost consciousness.

A tear fell down her cheek as she backed up slowly and closed her mind to Ben, essentially blocking him from her thoughts. In order to save him, she would fight alone, knowing what fate had in store without him. It was a sick thought, there was so much that she wanted to tell him or experience but it seemed as if her time was up.

Livid at the possibility, she angrily swiped the tear away. If she raced back to the cabin, Luke could still drag her out, it seemed like a pointless exertion and waste of energy. Luke smirked, clicking his tongue and Hux and Phasma advanced, circling her.

“Young, Rey, now is the time for you to join me, I’ve waited so long for this,” Snoke cooed, gesturing to the men in black suits.

All of them raised their weapons at her, the guns pointed at her body.

“If you think I’m leaving without a fight, you’re horribly mistaken. The pack will find me and you will die,” she gritted out, wondering if she should shift. 

If they wanted her, they would have to work for it. Death was not what Snoke had in store for her, that much was obvious otherwise, he would have filled her with lead and not waste any more resources or time on her.

“Oh, still that fiery spit of hope? You have the spirit of a true omega!” Snoke rubbed his hands together, gleefully.

Bracing herself, she waited for an attack.

It soon came, Snoke clicked his fingers and the men fired, she dodged the majority of darts but others sunk into her skin. Tiny stings radiated through her body with the contact but other than that, she stood, mostly unaffected.

Nothing happened.

The look on Snoke and Luke’s faces were priceless and for a brief moment, she smiled, thinking she could perhaps escape them after all if their weapons were useless. Plucking the darts out of her skin, she flicked them to the ground as a final insult.

In her vision, it was Ben who fell despite the darts hitting them both.

“Rey!”

Ben came into view and all eyes fell upon him. It was her undoing. One of the men fired upon him, a dart sunk into his neck and he howled, gasping as he fell to his knees. 

Racing towards him, she hovered over his fallen form, cradling him to her chest as he convulsed, eyes wide and unfocused.

“Run, Rey!” He gritted out before finally, he fell limp.

“If you come with us, no harm will come to your mate.”

Gulping hard, her fate seemingly solidified a final time, she pressed a kiss to Ben’s lips, hoping whatever they used was temporary. His pulse beat a steady tune against her fingers so ever so gently; she placed him on the ground, standing.

Snoke closed the distance; the grim reaper stalked forward and tilted her chin upwards with one of his elongated nails. It was the nail in her coffin and she prepared to be buried in the unknown.

“You will give me everything.”

A pressure rushed into her head, splitting it wide open, the pain worse than anything she had ever imagined. A chasm cracked through it, devouring memories and experiences alike, thumbing through them without carefulness. Both of his hands came upon her jaw, drawing her closer as she struggled to build her walls and resist but the effort was too much. Smashing through them, he took what he wanted, snatching the strings of her consciousness along with them.

Gasping, she felt his claws drag along her scalp, a painful assault to her skull, another act of trauma but physical and visceral.

Knowing she would soon lose everything, she managed to tilt her face, just a little, but it was more than enough. Ben lay sprawled on his back, still breathing, she could see it. With her vision in an ailing condition, she closed her eyes and whispered that she loved him, hoping somehow that he would hear it. Then, she drooped forward, falling slack but Snoke caught her with his bony hands, cradling her to his chest as he basked in victory.

Gone, she was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go...I have finally reached the climax!
> 
> Thank you to all those who still read and comment <3


	25. Alive

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please refer to the updated tags

**BEN**

Hot.

Warm all over, a deep searing heat took hold of his veins and encased his body in a thick layer of torrid sweat. Scarcely able to draw breaths, he drifted, listening to the irate beeping beside him. Everything was foggy, his mind clouded and heavy. A spiral of delirium consumed him. It felt as if he was teetering on the brink of losing himself, as if he had crawled back from the fires of hell and escaped but he did so not entirely unscathed.

Ache.

His long limbs were weighed down like lead and with that, came dull spasms and throbbing in his muscles. Weakness surged through him, he had never felt so utterly vulnerable, rendered useless and lame. It went against nature, the very soul of him. Alphas were supposed to be untouchable and yet he had failed and did so miserably.

“Come on, baby boy, open your eyes.”

The voice seemed so far away, a sound he tried to grasp to and pinpoint where it was coming from. Though he could not discern who was speaking to him, he imagined it was Rey and she was there beside him attempting to coax him awake.

“Rey,” he choked out.

Memories flooded his mind. How he ran towards the cabin, already halfway home when Rey abruptly cut herself off from the bond, leaving her end icy cold and silent, attributes he was long unused to. Too distracted by his own fear and the overwhelming urge to swarm and protect his mate, he made the fatal mistake of not raising the alarm, too incensed and too far gone for rational thought.

Barrelling forward, all he could do was fall to the rising panic and the fear of what would await him. It was worse than he ever expected, his mate peppered in darts and surrounded by guns. Her honeyed eyes were a dark whiskey, fiery and so full of determination. Still, she stood defiant until the end. The only chink in her armour was him. They were both each other’s greatness weakness but strength too. He cursed himself for intruding the way he did, two against over a dozen would likely be their downfall but there was no time for a fight.

Before he could step forward, pain lanced through his neck. Shot up and injected with poison, he burned, howling out as he wished he could tear his skin open and release himself from the pain. It was a gruelling kind of agony, one that made him forget his own name. Wolfsbane trickled and conquered.

Vaguely aware of Rey’s hands upon him, he had whispered for her to run, his final wish before he fell. It did not matter what happened to him, she had to live and escape from their clutches. They could take him in her place, he would offer no resistance.

_”I love you.”_

As if coming out of a fever dream, he gasped, shooting upward until he was sitting.

“Ben, you’re okay,” came the hoarse voice of his mother.

Heaving in a raspy breath, he fell backwards into the pillows, acutely aware of the strings of wires touching his skin, secured by sticky patches and the cannula protruding from the back of his hand. Like this, he felt incapacitated and frail. These were feelings so utterly contrasting of his nature and disposition, unconceivable ideas he refused to bend to. Strong, he was meant to be strong and stable.

With gritted teeth, he attempted to sit again and he managed it well enough, the heart monitor at his side ran rampant with the increase of his pulse and heart rate. There would be no stopping him, he could not lay idle any longer, he had to make his reality.

“What happened?” He blinked, pinching the bridge of his nose. 

An odd kind of dizziness clung to his head and made it light.

Leia sniffed, grasping his other hand with both of hers and clung on as if it was he was the only thing keeping her afloat. The nervousness immediately unnerved Ben. The more he came to, the more sickened he felt. He did not miss the the puffiness of her eyes or the telltale redness that spoke of a previous cry.

“Ben, you nearly…nearly died. You were shot with wolfsbane, you’ve been unconscious for four days, I didn’t know if you were going to make it.”

A sob followed, Leia leaned forward and pressed a hasty kiss on his forehead, smoothing his damp hair away from his face. 

Four days was a long time.

“It was Snoke and Luke…” Ben murmured.

“We know, son, we tried to track them but their scents disappeared at the state line.”

Ben stared ahead, long and hard. Then it hit him, Rey was not here and there were no tells that she had ever been there, no daisy and ocean salt scent hung in the air or his skin.

“Where’s Rey? Is she hurt? They shot her too but she seemed unaffected…I think she is immune, maybe after all those years of Ben Kenobi injecting her,” Ben was babbling, he knew that. Maybe he was fearful of the inevitable truth he already felt in his heart.

Leia’s head dropped, her chin tucked into her chest and she refused to look at him for a moment. Her eyes shifted, wet with new tears.

No.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on their bond and found it silent, cold and empty. 

“Where is she?”

“I’m sorry, son, Snoke…he took her.”

Ben was not sure when he started screaming but he heard the cries, the ones of a broken man. It did not seem real, no, it hurt too much. Han and Chewie raced into the room but he barely registered them. His father grasped his other hand but he could not be silenced or contained. Detachment followed. Dissociating seemed like the only option for him to survive. Everything else was was too much for him to deal with, the weight of the world crushed him.

Without her, only a shell of a man remained, a darkened shadow that could disappear like smoke in the night.

The man chasmed and in his place, a wolf burrowed through. 

Kylo took hold of him and resumed control, his only instinct was to find his mate and destroy anyone who would interfere or stand in his way.

**REY**

It had been a while since she woke in the tiny room. Bound, she sat upright in a metal chair, unable to move her ankles or wrists. The pillage of her mind, a wicked assault, left her sore and confused. She struggled to bring memories to the surface as if they had been sapped up, devoured by the man who had already caused such heartache.

The first thing she had tried to complete was transforming. No matter how she envisioned the change, nothing came and so she could only assume that there was something at work to prevent her from doing so. After that, she refused to exert herself in that way, her energy was best saved.

All her focus was preserved for Ben.

Though she could no longer feel him in her head, the distance between them likely too great, he was at the forefront and singular thought of her mind. If she concentrated hard enough, she could still feel his touch, fleeting embraces like long forgotten whispers.

Deprived of his presence, she felt her cool façade slip a fraction. Indifference was a difficult game to maintain when abducted and kept in such a way. The metal restraints, thick cuffs, chafed and bit into the delicate skin of her wrists. Though they healed, it was an irritating process, it looped and repeated itself until she stopped moving entirely, resigned to sitting still and docile, likely what what expected of her. It saved her some pain.

More than once, she swallowed cries and blinked away tears. The acts burned like acid threatening to leak from her mouth and tear ducts. With their bond cold and empty, she could not for certain if he was okay. Sitting there, she discerned that he was likely shot with some kind of poison, the most likely culprit being Wolfsbane. 

It was possible that she had built some kind of immunity to its most potent and destructive effectives after years of acclimatisation and being pumped full of it. It made sense. Little by little, her body had created a defence to lessen the blow of it until it could no longer ruin her. 

Was this another way of her grandfather protecting her from beyond the grave? The injections had made her life a misery at times but they very likely saved her life.

The heavy iron door swung open in front of her after a series of clicks, clanks and a loud beep. She squinted in the darkness, readying herself with a defiant upward tilt of her chin. Snoke smirked, a gleeful thing hardly appropriate for the situation.

Much to her surprise, he was alone, though she caught a glimpse of Hux and Phasma just beyond the door before he promptly closed it behind him. Hux was no friend of hers, no, he nearly killed her but she knew how much he meant to her new family. The betrayal she felt in their place was tough, raw and startling. It was difficult to fathom how he could fall so senselessly.

With the flip of a switch, the room lit up. It stung her eyes, briefly she was left blinded by the sharp contrast to the darkness she awoke in.

“Murderous snake,” she hissed out, hoping to wipe that callous grin off his face. 

It worked. His beady eyes darkened into an icy sort of blue, frosty and hostile. He advanced and brought his arm back. With one tactile swing, he backhanded her, his knuckles smacked against her cheekbone and lips. A warm blossom of pain darted straight through her, a sharp crack fleeted through her face.

“Watch your tongue, Reyna.”

Unwilling to give him the satisfaction of silencing her, she gathered the mixture of blood from the blow and saliva in her mouth and spat at his feet. It landed on his shiny leather shoes. At least she managed to tarnish his image in some way. Dirtied or inconvenienced him even if it was minute.

His cold, gnarled fingers immediately dug into her cheeks and squeezed, forcing her lips shut. The acrid and foul stench of his breath and scent nearly made her vomit. It was all wrong, it reeked of death and greed, blood and tears. His closeness only brought unease.

Hovering over her, he glared with a hard look. Fear prickled in her skin but she hid it well enough, breathing harshly out of her nose, chest heaving and eyes wide. 

“There are ways I could permanently keep those pretty lips shut. Now, can you play nice?” 

Begrudgingly, she nodded and he released his hold on her, pulling a seat from the other side of the room and placing it opposite her own. Tonguing the roof of her mouth, she worked her jaw, trying to keep the ache of where his fingers had imprinted and bruised her skin at bay.

He sat, back ramrod straight and arms folded over his lap. As if in warning, yellow nails extended from his fingertips, sharp and deadly like her own. Drumming them on his leg, he cocked his head and raised his brow expectantly. The very sight of him evoked nausea, his horrible confidence made her irate. 

Rey clenched her teeth together, loathing how defenceless she was. Even if she could transform and unleash her wolf, there was no telling just how skilled in combat he was. From the scars riddled deep in his head, it was clear that he had survived at least one battle, even if just barely.

“You were injected with a serum to prevent you turning. Don’t worry, its effects aren’t permanent, I can assure you of that.”

She pressed her lips into a firm line, tasting the coppery tang of her own blood. She was too accustomed to its taste now. At one point in her life, she had barely bled, rarely ever saw the spilling of what her heart beat so reverently. Those days were long gone. 

“You made things difficult for us. We usually incapacitate wolves with Wolfsbane but it seems as if you’ve built up a resistance to it. Odd, considering I had used it far longer than you and even the littlest of drops still brings me to ruin.”

“I’m glad,” she said evenly.

Snoke tutted his tongue, leaning forward with those horrid claws on show. The game of intimidation seemed to come easy to him.

“You’re an anomaly, a fiery beauty. There is much we can learn from you. You’re going to aid our cause and soon there will be more like you, we’ll be unstoppable.”

“If you think I will help you, you’re delusional,” she whispered, shaking her head. 

Snoke chuckled, reclining back into the high back of the chair.

“You can be made to cooperate. Your willingness has nothing to do with it. I know your greatest weakness so I believe you will be inclined to help.”

“Never.”

It was a snarl, a vicious sound of a woman with a beast inside of her. Both were cornered and together they would fight. Lashing out was not smart but some part of her was uncontrollable and indignant, lost of all reason.

“The safety of your mate relies on it. The last we saw of Ben Solo, well, he wasn’t in great shape. We heard he had slipped into a coma and in such a weakened state, it would be all too easy to finish him off and snuff out the Skywalker line once and for all.”

No.

Dizzied by the news, she drooped forward as images of him prone and still with very few signs if life assaulted her.

“Ben,” she choked out, finally cracking.

A hole in her heart opened up, black like tar and decayed, threatening to take her too. If Ben died, she would also, she could feel it. It would drive her to insanity, a rational being no more and she would wither without his light and love.

“Ben will be safe as long as you play nice, my dear, lovely, Reyna.”

Closing her eyes, she gulped hard, hating how familiar he seemed with her. Her grandfather always called her Reyna, it was special to them. His raspy voice desecrated it.

But it all paled in comparison to the worry that made her lame. Ben had once told her that Wolfsbane could kill even the strongest of wolves. She knew no stronger wolf than him but she had seen him fall, she had witnessed him lost.

“Why are you doing this? Why did you kill my mother? And Padme? All the others, it’s senseless violence.”

“I loved them all. Padme was supposed to be my omega, I deserved her more than Anakin ever did. That night was unfortunate, truly. But I healed when I found your mother, another beautiful omega to love. But she chose the mongrel, your father and if I couldn’t have her, then no one could!”

He was delusional, truly gone.

“They never loved you, Padme and my mother found their true mates and you killed them!”

Snoke hummed, eye twitching.

“That might be right but I wanted them. I want you. Your grandfather, he found out about my deeds and tried to keep you from me but I knew you would one day walk into my clutches. Together, we can make a new future and bring prosperity back to our kind.”

The idea sickened her. Death would be a better outcome at that point, she would do anything to avoid him keeping her.

“Ben is my mate, I love him.”

“You’ll forget about him. I’ll make sure about that, I will tear your mind apart if I have to.”

“No,” she snapped.

“Yes.”

“What about the others? Why take them? Kaydel is your granddaughter and you took her!”

“Oh, someone has been doing their homework it seems.”

“Tell me.”

“Since you asked so kindly. Omegas are near enough extinct so I wish to create a new genetically modified race of them. Artificial omegas if you wish to know the term but they will feel real enough. So far, all experiments have failed, Jessika’s transition did not take hold so I killed her.”

It was an abomination, he was trying to fight nature. His blackened mark on the Earth was deeper than the roots.

“In regards to Kaydel, as soon as I realised she was my granddaughter, I knew I would have to turn her to my cause. My son tried to keep her away from me and of course, those meddling Solos found her. It’s going to take a long time but she will become my apprentice.”

No, Leia loved Kaydel as her own. Surely she would not be swayed.

“Now that I have you, I believe our experiments will succeed. You’re our first genuine omega. Your contributions will result in the new race, of omegas who will never die out or go extinct again. You’re DNA will be analysed amongst other things and then you will be bred. Hopefully you’ll provide us with some omega children.”

Rey choked and vomited all over the floor. It was a torrid spilling of hot bile, her empty stomach churned.

“Stay away from me. You can’t do this,” she muttered weakly in between heaves.

“Don’t worry, Reyna. I’m not a savage, you will be artificially inseminated…unless you prefer the old fashioned way.”

More vomit spilled from her lips and she cried out, screaming for Ben. She did so until her throat was raw and her shrieks nothing but hoarse wails. 

“I think it’s time for someone to go to her room. We will continue this discussion later on.”

Weak and miserable, she could not even fight when he released her restraints and summoned Hux and Phasma.

Phasma and Hux hooked their arms around hers and half dragged her through a series of dimly lit corridors, her feet skimmed across the tiles and the chain binding her ankles did so also. 

The delusion Snoke had lost himself in was unfathomable to her but in order to survive, she would bide her time and try not to cause too much trouble until she formulated a solid escape plan. 

“Here we go,” Phasma said, dropping her without care.

She fell to the ground with a thud, too ill to catch herself. The coldness of the tiles offered some reprieve for the fever in her blood.

It was a tiny cell. There were a row of them but hers was situated right at the end, bordering only one other one. The bars were much too small for even her, there was no way to slip through them. 

“We hope you enjoy your stay,” Hux said sardonically. 

He locked the door behind him, jingling the keys at her before they disappeared. 

The cellblock was dimly lit, only a tiny strip of light on the ceiling offered some glow. It was yellowish and it buzzed incessantly. 

Sitting up, she eyed her surroundings, seeing a shadow emerge from the adjoining cell. She stared at it cautiously and found herself inexplicably drawn to the tall figure.

He stepped closer, hands curled around the metal bars.

His eyes looked so familiar, they bore into her soul, tired but bright cerulean blue. 

“Who are you?” She whispered, desperate for answers.

He regarded her for a moment, briefly shifting on his feet before leaning closer. He rested his forehead on the bars and opened his mouth, heaving in a shaky breath before he straightened his back and gazed down at her.

“I’m Anakin Skywalker.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was my cruelest cliffhanger to date. I am sorry.
> 
> Thank you to all that read and comment <3


	26. Hope

A ghost stood in front of her, very much alive.

Anakin Skywalker, the grandfather of her mate and a brother of sorts to her grandfather.

The enigma, the man whose story was etched deep with heartache, was breathing and drawing in shaky breaths. Death had not come to collect him as the whispers spread throughout the years. His life had not ended, the presumption held no ground. It meant that for the entirety of time he was gone, he lived with the trauma of finding Padme bleeding, her blood making rich of the soil as he desperately attempted to close the chaotic wound.

Those memories were as clear to her as her own were, shared by Ben and plucked from witnesses to the atrocities, the end of a life, the eclipsing of the light in his mind.

Clambering to her feet, she staggered forward and grasped the bars. A primal sort of desperation flared from the inside out. This man was family, even if they had never met. She clasped his hands and refused to let go.

“I’m Rey Kenobi, the granddaughter of-”

-“Ben Kenobi…my brother.”

Rey nodded, noting how the whites of his eyes took on a new shine. Like Ben, he towered over her and she thought back to the photos of him in his youth and how despite being a captive, the years had been fair to him.

“There is something else,” he murmured, inhaling, a presumably subtle gesture but quite noticeable to her. Scenting was still a new kind of territory but she could sense that it was instinctual to him.

“I’m the mate of your grandson, Leia’s son.”

“Ben,” Anakin finished for her.

“Tell me what happened to you,” she begged.

Anakin nodded, solemn but he sat, gesturing for her to follow suit.

“It started long before her death…”

* * *

**ANAKIN**

**THEN**

He had seen the not so subtle glances, felt the heat of Snoke’s gaze whenever Padme caught his sight. At first, it did not trouble him. The man had been a near constant in his life, forever shadowing Ben but never saying much at all.

The two never really bonded but there was a familiarity there so Anakin gave him the benefit of the doubt and instead chose to hope that his fleeting crush on Padme would pass.

It did not.

Heated gazes so full of want warped into lingering touches when passing her by. All the while, he saw it all. The subtle flinch of her eyes, the shift in her scent as she called to Anakin in a silent way.

He promised her that he would keep her safe. Fighting another alpha for her attentions was not below him, he had participated in many arguments that lead to physical confrontations, the gnashing of teeth and an omega’s scent cloaked in fear-for him, her lover, husband and mate.

“Father?”

Leia placed a hand on his knee. His beautiful daughter, full of her mother’s tenacity and spirit, a mirror image of beauty shared but unparalleled.

The two sat by the campfire, their figures awash with amber glows and casted shadows.

“Sorry, I was miles away,” Anakin apologised, smiling to himself. He placed both his hands over her own.

For a while, Padme had been overcome with visions full of darkness and blood, but all lacking clarity or any real shape. They followed him too. At night, he lay, desperate to sleep but he could not escape the trance of hovering in the reaches of his wife’s mind, frantically searching for answers.

Though she could not decipher the darkness, he felt in his heart that they were a warning to him. In the pit of his gut seeds took root and filled him with fear, they interlocked with rational thought, infecting him with with rot.

He was going to lose her.

It would ruin him.

“He’s kicking, do you want to feel?” Leia said softly, bringing his hands to her swollen baby.

That was his light in the dark.

Another Skywalker, a baby boy. The arrival of his first grandson was nearing ever closer and for the first time in a long time, he allowed himself to hope. Such a concept seemed foreign and wrong, especially when he was certain of his suspicions but if it were his destiny, then a new light would rise and right the wrongs.

Under his palms, life moved and life persisted, squirming to meet the warmth and touch. A boisterous little thing already, he could not wait to meet the boy that made him cling to hope again.

“Ben Anakin Skywalker Solo, what a mouthful,” Leia laughed quietly.

Anakin’s heart stopped, at least for a brief moment.

“You’re using my name,” he whispered.

“You’re my father and my son will carry your name…it feels right. Han is okay with it, in fact, he suggested it.”

Anakin sat, awed and speechless. He had never imagined that sort of inclusion. Ben seemed a fitting name for the boy because at one point, Ben Kenobi had instilled the same show of hope in him when he first turned and he was the only one to show him the way.

Anakin bent low and pressed a chaste kiss to her stomach.

“I can’t wait to meet you, you’re destined for great things, I can feel it. We all love you already.”

The child squirmed, pressed his palm against Anakin’s cheek and in that moment, he knew all would end okay. If hurt and suffering were to come to their lands, the boy would save them all.

“If he is anything like you, I trust in that.”

Anakin chuckled, swiping at a tear that fell.

“Han is not so bad either,” he joked, relaxing back into his chair.

Leia smoothed her dress over her belly, humming quietly.

A scream shattered their calm, it lanced through him like a set of claws groping and claiming his heart. The hollow feeling split him in two and made him want to wretch but he had to move, he had to find her.

The screams continued but by then, he was sprinting across the land, Han followed behind with Leia, who despite her condition, refused to sit idle.

A panic set in. The moon loomed overhead, its presence far from comforting but it offered some light to aid the search. His legs carried him faster than they had ever done so before, his heart pumped, wild and angry and then he saw it.

The brutal slash of claws after a struggle. They swiped through the air, deadly and haunting, ripping through pale flesh with no resistance.

No.

He could fix this.

Barrelling forward, he caught Padme before she could fall, crowning her head with his palm while the other came down and smothered her neck, the gaping wound flooded his fingertips with warm blood and he knew, he knew that no one could heal from it. But he tried, he applied the pressure, wailing into the night and rocked, begging her to stay.

“Stay with me, please, Padme,” he sobbed, biting his lower lip, trembling as ribbons of red coated him completely.

In the end, she accepted her fate. Wide eyes, wet and like the soil after the first rain of summer gazed up at him, mostly unseeing and unfocused but even as the fire dimmed, he could see that she saw him.

Her mouth parted, her slender fingers groped at his shirt but the effort was too much, nothing left them, not even a whisper.

“I love you,” he breathed out, hearing a tiny little death rattle, she fell limp and unmoving.

Her eyes glazed, the life disappeared from them and in doing so, a part of him died too. A decayed mess was what remained, a man with a splintered soul ripped in two.

Clutching her to him, he kneeled and howled, louder than he had ever done so before. No one was free of grief, he woke the night and anyone close, he tore at the roots of the earth, rocking the world to its core, all with a scream.

A loss like this meant that no recovery or end was in sight and he knew what he had to do.

Sniffing, he lay her to the ground, mindful to treat her delicately, just as he always had.

The murderer stood, his chin tilted in defiance with a wicked grin on those blood-splattered lips. Han had quickly immobilised him and Leia…she stood, pale and peaky white, tears streaming down her face as the baby kicked.

One would die and one would live.

Padme died but she would live on in the grandson she would never meet.

Chaos erupted; Anakin lunged forward, spearing the man to the ground. Well aware of the shouts and screams at his back, he snarled, warding any spectators away. This was not the pack’s way of conducting themselves but vengeance was what he needed, he could taste it on the tip of his tongue and feel the wolf within growl and claw its way out to rear his sharp teeth.

Vader, his wolf, the other half of him mourned his mate just as much as Anakin did and so both of them rose up and ignored the right way of receiving justice.

Penance, blood for blood, he would feed the earth and make rich of it.

The man was an alpha like himself, younger but woefully inexperienced. They grappled but eventually, Anakin caught his jaw with his knuckles and rattled him. After that, he pummelled him feeling flesh and bone give way, anger lit him up and fuelled him.

“Who sent you?”

The man barely responded but in his mind, a quiet whisper floated and Anakin snatched at it, stealing the name for himself before slicing deep, caging his heart and tearing it from his chest.

Snoke.

Snoke was the one behind it.

The days after that blurred.

There was no telling how much time had passed but Anakin sat, cradling the lifeless body of his wife. Sometimes he lead himself to believe she spoke to him, other times he fell into despair, uncertain of how to proceed.

Not even death could tear them apart.

“Father, you have to let her go.”

Leia.

“No, I can’t.”

In those days, many had attempted to separate them, even Ben Kenobi, his brother and pack leader. Nothing worked.

“Please, we need to lay her to rest. I need you.”

Tiny hands tugged at his arms and for his daughter, he let go. Relying on her for support, he cried, his throat raw and mind ravaged. Desperate and frantic, he pulled her to him but he was the one clinging to his lifeline, the only thing that would keep him afloat for a while longer.

A few nights later, in the dark of the night, he left, ready to meet death.

Finding Snoke had been easy.

The man’s scent was one that had often nauseated him, masquerading like a sheep in a wolf’s den; it reeked of chemicals and unnatural substances.

Poison filled his blood and bled outwards with every exhale of putrid breath. The monster would die and in turn, Anakin would put the withered wolf within to rest. Abused and neglected, his own wolf felt the pain of it whenever they crossed paths. Snoke thought of his kind as an abomination but omegas, they were above them all in his eyes, different from hot headed alphas or lowly betas. He wanted an omega for himself and with that want came death and an alpha without his mate.

Anakin raged, tearing up the landscape as his heavy footfalls marred the earth. The shadows cloaked him in darkness and hid his black wolf from view. The advantage was with him and he knew it, Snoke’s home was far from the sprawling reaches of the city. A high iron fence bordered the lawn but Anakin leapt over it with no trouble, in his state, he could have thrown himself threw it and not felt any kind of physical injury.

There was nothing left to feel, a piece of him was already decayed, a black heart beating red and rot, splintered beyond repair. A chasm cracked his soul and that is why he advanced with little care for his well being. Death would find him tonight but he would not face it alone, no, he would drag Snoke to the depths and fires of hell with him.

After a quick transformation into his human form, Anakin lashed out, kicking his leg against the backdoor until it flew inwards. Splinters flew about and there was little finesse in the act but quietness was not needed for his revenge. Snoke had nowhere to run, not with a hungry alpha at his back, evasion was not an option for the man.

Navigating through the house was a quiet affair, the mindless travel only brewed his fury faster and hotter until his fingers stretched and claws tore through the skin. Alternating, Vader attempted to burrow out of Anakin’s skin, ready for vengeance but Anakin maintained control, silent and cool, a deadly mixture that would soon combust.

Shadows followed him until he pinpointed the location of a heart that beat too fast, uncertainly and some part of Anakin relished in that delight. Snoke was scared and rightfully so. The pitiful man stood behind his desk, thin fingers outstretched and wrapped around a silver handgun.

Bullets would not stop him.

“I always knew this day would come,” Snoke bit out.

The tremble of his hand did not go unnoticed.

“You killed her and for that, you’ll die here tonight,” Anakin growled, pacing the length of the room.

Sweat coated his shaking form, the convulsions and change prickled under his skin like hot pokers as he resisted the desire to transform. Any death in the jaws of a wolf would be too kind, he wanted to squeeze the life out of Snoke and just as he drew his final breath, he would tear out his throat and open his chest. The heart would make an empty meal and desecrate the monster further.

A life for a life seemed right and highly appropriate.

“Perhaps I will,” Snoke said, blue eyes gleamed by the light of the fireplace and then the quiet was broken by snarls and a guttural cry.

Anakin leapt forward, spearing Snoke to the floor. The gun had been useless, his reflexes lacked any real speed and Anakin was in top condition, a killing machine of sorts. The leash he wrapped around himself burst and overcome with pure, unadulterated rage, he dipped low and swiped at Snoke’s face, opening it up.

Blood and cartilage sprayed upwards and gushed. Anakin brought his claws down time and time again, tearing through flesh and cracking bone until someone he did not recognise lay before him. Still, he breathed, tiny rasps escaped him and Anakin reared, clamping his hands around his throat and squeezing until pain lanced through him.

Falling with a groan, more bullets shot through him and fire spread until he was foaming at the mouth, his body both loose and taut.

He could not see, he could barely thing.

Snoke laughed.

“Well done, Brendol.”

Anakin gritted his teeth as he flailed on the ground and managed to peel his eyes open long enough to see Brendol Hux, a beta in the pack, helping Snoke from the floor where healing already took hold of his face. Scars would forever chasm it though, he left his mark.

The thin, spineless man limped over and hovered above him.

“Killing you would be easy. Keeping you alive means you will have to suffer every day without your mate and that is worse than death.”

A sharp pinch and his world jumbled and swirled.

The next day, he woke in a cell.

Years of torture and experimentation followed.

**NOW**

The woman, Rey was crying before him. An omega like Padme, he knew how to calm her so he placed his hand on hers and hummed, recalling a favourite of tune of his that often helped him see the light.

Rey’s cry soon turned into a series of sniffles but he waited patiently, not wanting to rush her. Her eyes were mirror copies of Ben Kenobi’s and they kept him right, just as they always had. If he concentrated hard enough, he could still hear the murmurs and laugh of the man he called brother. A simple skimming of her mind told him something he already knew to be true, that Ben was dead but he did not meet a vicious end, one moment he was there amongst the roses and the next, he was gone. Quick and painless.

Anakin grieved in his own way, he knew he would see him again; it was only a matter of time.

The girl leaned closer and shuddered, heaving out one final cry and then she righted herself, squaring her shoulders and peeked up at him through wet lashes.

This was his family, the mate of his grandson, Ben, the precious embodiment of hope he had never been able to meet.

All of Rey’s thoughts quickly turned to him and Anakin beamed, seeing Ben as if he stood before him in the cell with them. Years of memories filtered and became one with his own and pride radiated from within.

They were the chosen ones, he could feel it, he knew that they would fulfil the ancient prophecy and bring peace to their kind. An end would come to all the torment and suffering and for the first time in years, he could breathe again.

Until it came to fruition, he would ensure Rey’s safety and protect his family with the remaining strength within his ageing body.

“It’s okay; we’ll get you out of here.”

* * *

**REY**

The cot was small, even for her. It came as no real surprise, the conditions of a prison were not meant to instil niceness or offer any reminders that she was human and deserved basic liberties. Behind those steel bars, she was little more than an animal, a wolf trapped and caged, reduced to nothing.

It brought more discomfort atop the worry, but an underlying hope sparked in her mind. Hearing and catching glimpses of Anakin’s story had brought out such a profound change made her consider the possibilities for the time ahead.

If Anakin Skywalker could survive there for decades, she could cope long enough until she formulated a means of escape, whether that be by her own hands or another. No doubt lingered within her, the pack would fight tooth and nail for her return or die trying. She wanted no bloodshed on her side to stain her hands but the pack mentality was beyond her, the bonds ran as deep as roots and loyalty was second nature to the bloodlines. No hesitation crossed their minds.

One thing was clear, this was the prison she had seen in her vision, the one where someone emerged with a glint of steel and tore up her insides, eviscerating skin and bone. When she fell, surrounded by crimson splatter, she knew she would never stand again. It did not bear thinking about but the images could not be erased or ignored, that kind of ignorance would make it come to fruition, a real kind of truth.

Changing the future was not an impossibility.

Her grandfather had raised a fighter, her mate had only ever lifted her higher. If this were her fate, she would not surrender; she would wear her warpaint and keep battling against the odds until no more breaths left her body.

It was all she could do.

Curled up, she listened to the shallow breaths of Anakin just a few feet away, mirroring her position. Sleep seemed to find him easier than it did her. It was hard to stomach. This man, her grandfather’s brother in every sense of the word but blood, had lost his mate and lived through torture and experimentation. Weaker people would have crumbled but still he stood, that fiery spit of hope in his bright eyes never seemed to waver.

History had buried him alive but his spirit reached higher than the surface of blood and dirt and memories faraway.

Hiding under the thin blanket, she attempted to warm herself and tucked her body tight, anything to preserve body heat. The stark coldness acted as a reminder that she had become used to Ben’s body wrapped around her own, heating her through. He always ran hot, as most alphas did but he burned her in delightful ways and slipped into the role of her protective mate with an ease that still surprised even her.

Everything ached for him, the longing set in and made her cold, she missed him and feared that he was lost to her. Could he fight the poison of wolfsbane or would a life of sleep overcome him?

Squeezing her eyes shut, she swallowed the bitter thoughts and rise of bile in her throat and stifled a cry with the back of her fist.

Giving her captors the satisfaction of breaking her would not sit right. So she sucked hard on her bottom lip, worrying her teeth until a sharp throbbing in her head prevented any movement.

It felt like the parting of a sea painted red but an unknown disturbance kept the transition from being far from smooth. Her mind crashed at the edges, a jagged pain lanced through her skull but she willed it to open.

The feeling was familiar, like a lone wolf splitting open the sky with one almighty howl filled with sadness, regret and unrivalled want.

Grabbing either side of her head, she groaned and tugged at her sweat-laden hair until she felt him.

_“Rey!”_

_…“Ben.”_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am terrible at replying to comments but thank you to everyone who still reads and shares their thoughts, it means the world!🖤


	27. Life

Ben’s voice rang clear in her head just as loud and clear as it would have done if he were sitting right beside her. Gasping, she shot up. The relief of feeling his presence in her mind outweighed any of her prior anguish or pain, it was instantaneous and heady and like the rain after a drought. The consumption took hold of her with a fiery grip and like a dam bursting, he flooded her senses and all felt right again. At least for that moment.

Reeling, she steadied herself on the cot, hoping that she had not drawn any attention as to what was happening. Hushing herself, she rolled on to her side and brought the blankets up and over her head for some semblance of privacy.

 _“I’ll find you, I promise,”_ he whispered into her mind.

It came out strained and gruff, as if he could scarcely hold himself together and in that moment, she knew that her abduction had caused some major chasm in him. The tone of his voice was off, almost unfamiliar and it was easy to discern what had happened.

The man buried himself deep and allowed the wolf to reap.

_“I know you will, Ben…I love you, please tell me you know that.”_

Negativity was something she could not dwell on but she needed the reassurance that if anything were to happen to her, just as she foresaw, he knew that she loved him unconditionally and carried that light with her at all times.

Containing a sob, she brought the moonstone ring to her lips and kissed it, christening it with hot tears. It reminded her of better times, a token of hope for their future and that was something she would hold on to with white knuckled hands.

_“I know. I love you and I’m coming. I won’t stop until I find you. Are you okay? If he’s hurt you, I’ll kill him. We’re patrolling and running checks on any known locations associated with Snoke. Maybe we’re close and that’s why we can hear one another.”_

Rey nodded, hoping it to be true. Rolled up on the thin mattress and tucked in on herself, she closed her eyes and hummed, struggling to cope with the plethora of feelings.

_“I woke up in room, Ben, I don’t know where I am but I’m sorry, I should’ve stayed in the cabin, I shouldn’t have closed my mind to you…you nearly died!”_

The cot squeaked below her, wrapping her arms around herself felt like the only way she would not fall apart at the seams. She wanted to spill and disappear but in wrapped up with that, she knew that she had to fight for her life and attempt to cool the turbulent thoughts and overwhelming emotions.

_“Don’t you dare blame yourself, this is Snoke’s fault. I’m here, sweetheart, I’m okay.”_

Ben had beat the poison and shuck it away. Despite the odds piled up against him, he overcame his circumstance so she would follow his lead and not crumble under her own pressures or guilt.

_“Please find me.”_

_“I will. Is there anything you can tell me? Is there anything you can see or sense that would help me find you?”_

Rey thought of Anakin in the conjoining cell but a pain splintered through her head and she felt Ben slipping away just as quickly as he appeared. Black spots dotted about her vision and no matter how much she tried to cling to his energy, he disappeared like smoke in the night.

_“Ben!”_

Nothing, not even a whisper. She huffed, breathing harshly out through her nose and squeezed her hands into fists. Ben was gone but she hoped his theory about their proximity was right and that it was only a matter of time before he found her. Until then, she would wait.

Alone again, she begged her thundering heart to rest but it would take hours before sleep would find her.

* * *

Rey woke in a different room and without Ben’s voice existence in her mind. The bond felt cold whereas the night before it had been white hot. Neither of them could pinpoint the reason for their sudden connection but she hoped they would be able to communicate again.

Blinking, she found herself restrained once again but a familiar face pair of faces greeted her, the first being Kaydel Solo and the next, Dr Mitaka. His smile was too wide to be kind, the sharp upward turn of his lips was more like a leer and the slight bulge of his milky blue eyes acted as an unnerving counterpart to it. All in all, he still caused discomfort and her initial gut feelings about him were right.

Kaydel looked on, unable to meet her gaze so Rey continued to stare and focused all of her energy on her. This was Ben’s younger sister and the girl Leia grieved for, she had seen the matriarch’s deterioration firsthand and the palpable weight of her worry. When she finally locked eyes with Rey, her lip quivered and her eyes shifted to the side but other than that, she did not acknowledge or present any other signs that she was somehow a prisoner like her.

Anger flared up but she could not waste her time on her.

“Your mother misses you,” Rey bit out and then levelled her gaze on Dr Mitaka who chuckled, placing his clipboard on a nearby table.

“Kaydel’s mother is dead, her father too, but luckily, her grandfather, Mr Snoke is alive and well.”

“Leia and Han are her parents, blood or not, they raised her as their own and they’re suffering without her.”

Dr Mitaka tutted his tongue and went about sorting through instruments on his workbench.

“You can believe what you want to. Anyway, today we are here to begin the initial testing on you, which will eventually result in more fertility testing. To begin, we’ll take some blood and pheromone samples. Your resistance to Wolfsbane is most interesting, I’ve never heard of such a phenomenon.”

Rey tested her restraints, thick metal bands secured her to the chair, they cut into her wrists and any sort of movement brought the scraping of skin. Now was not the time to struggle. If she were to survive, she needed to pick and choose her battles carefully.

The biting stench of lemon antiseptic and bleach filled her nostrils, the workplace gleamed and she frowned, hating how prepared they were for all of this.

She only flinched when Dr Mitaka pushed away her hair, revealing the darker, raised bit of skin on the junction of her neck and shoulder. The neck possessed the most potent of the glands and so it came as no surprise that he chose to target that particular one. It disgusted her. The feel of his warm fingertips brushing the edge of her gland had her reeling and nauseous, Ben’s teeth had imprinted her skin and made her his. This was a desecration of the harshest kind, Dr Mitaka left traces of his own alpha scent there but she bit her tongue, glaring straight ahead at Kaydel who appeared peaky and pale, a deer lost in the headlights of Rey’s fury.

When he wiped the area with a pungent antiseptic wipe, she shivered and gripped the armrest of the metal chair until her nails scratched it, lengthening just a fraction.

Dr Mitaka chuckled.

“You continue to surprise us; any sort of transformation should not be possible with the dosage of Lupinus you’re on. It prevents transformation or any power you may possess. Interesting. Not to worry, I’ll increase the dose and give you a sedative after the procedure, you’ll need it.”

Rey growled at him, unable to stop the sound but this only seemed to amuse him even more.

“You’re an omega but you behave like an alpha. You’ll break, they always do.”

Kaydel seemed uncomfortable by the whole exchange; she wrung her hands out in front of her and tentatively peeked back at Rey through her lashes.

“Kenobi’s are strong, we will never break,” Rey repeated her family motto, the one etched deep into her mind.

“If you say so.”

Dr Mitaka loomed closer, needle in hand and advanced until his breaths tousled her hair. Revulsion set in but it was short lived, with a firm hand planted on her shoulder, he sunk the needle into her mating gland.

Rey screamed, shrieking as it nudged through her flesh and in to one of the most sensitive areas of her body. It felt like a hot poker searing her but she remained, knowing that if she jostled even a fraction, it could result in permanent damage.

All the while, Dr Mitaka hummed and drew back the plunger, extracting a sample of her pheromones. It was an excruciating process but soon enough, her screams were reduced to quiet cries. Kaydel tugged at her bottom lip with her teeth and turned away, seemingly unable to witness the barbaric practice any longer.

When Dr Mitaka was finished, she slumped forward, not feeling the next needle pinch her arm for her blood. It drained the life out of her and she felt hollow. It would take time for her body to produce the pheromones lost and so she sat there weakened and slightly disoriented.

“Now, for your new dose of Lupinus and a sedative and then Kaydel will escort you back to your cell. You were an excellent patient, Rey, I don’t know what all that noise was about,” Dr Mitaka informed her, injecting her once and then again.

Biting back a reply, she simply nodded and felt the restraints open up. Kaydel walked over and helped her to her feet, though she could barely walk so she ended up shouldering most of her weight.

The doctor waved them off with a smile. The halls were brightly lit but that soon changed when they came upon the cellblock.

“Your family loves you; Leia has been nothing without you. How can you let Snoke turn you?” Rey slurred, uncaring on whether she hurt the girl’s feelings.

The whole experience made her feel inebriated and so her filter was limited.

Kaydel leaned close, helping Rey onto her cot.

“I will not be turned, I’m loyal to the pack and I love them all. I’m surviving, Rey, I’ll help get you out of here but until then, I have to play along.”

The words brushed the surface of Rey’s mind but all too soon, Kaydel was gone having locked her up. Anakin rushed to the bars separating their cells. Through her haze and sedation, she witnessed the worry he possessed for her.

“What happened? What did they do to you?”

Rey shimmied across the cot, rolling on her side to face him.

“They took my blood and pheromones. Fertility testing I think…they want to impregnate me,” she moaned, struggling to lift her head.

Anakin peered down at her, the confusion evident on his face. He kneeled until he was positioned at her level. A small smile tugged at his lips but it was quickly replaced with a frown. 

“Rey…you’re already pregnant, can’t you feel it?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who reads and comments <3
> 
> The next chapter will be from Ben's perspective.
> 
> 4 main chapters and one epilogue to go :)


	28. Late

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please refer to the tags before you read this chapter. I do not think it is too graphic but it contains death and violence.

**BEN**

Day broke with harsh, glaring sunlight that reflected off the frost-covered ground. Fresh dew froze overnight with the plummeting temperatures of winter clinging to everything but that did not deter him. In some respect, it encouraged him more. Since waking from the coma, an immersion took hold of him and left him in a near constant state of possession and determination.

A hunger consumed him and with it, he was starving, in dire need of Rey and the pressure upon him was relentless, the aches stung deep like tiny barbs gnawing his innards and scraping at his heart.

A heart so hollow.

Shedding his human form had come with hardly any conscious thought or decision; he followed his instincts blindly, groping for purchase in the dark recesses of his mind. More often than not, he remained that way, never feeling the full to wear pale flesh that would make him vulnerable.

The sound of his paws pounding across the hard ground, morning and night, kept him level or somewhat distracted from the feverish need within him to find his omega. A madness powered and drove him harder; he tore up miles and miles of land, only ever stopping when tiredness rendered him still. Even then, his keen eyes would observe his surroundings from his forced position.

Each night, he would fall into bed, sore and exhausted, choosing to seclude himself in the cabin he once shared with her. The reminders were everywhere, her scent still clung to the pillow on her side of the bed and it quickly became a lifeline for him. In that quiet moment where no eyes appraised him, he would curl in on himself, crush the pillow to his nose and fall into a fitful sleep with the taste of daisies and ocean salt on his tongue.

It was bittersweet.

Other nights, he would not sleep at all. A mixture of exhaustion and wounds from travelling over coarse terrain would confine him to the cabin and there he would sit in front of the fireplace and watch the flames dance. Sometimes he would bring down a photo of Rey and him from the mantel and channel all of his energy and power into reaching her, wherever she was.

The lack of response slowly crushed him from the inside out like a fist curling around his throat. The task of breathing became a hardship without her. The sadness and guilt soon spiralled into anger, the kind that had him snarling and beating his fists against anything in his proximity until they bled.

The silence irked and ruined him.

Living without her was an impossibility; he was simply existing and dragging himself through the mundane cycle of time until he could locate her.

It was like the ocean had been robbed of the moon’s pull and so there was no high and low tide, he was still and stagnant, simultaneously lost and drowning.

The effects of the Wolfsbane still trickled, shadowing him in some regard. Beating the fever left him feeling untouchable and invincible, at least in the physical sense. The fear of the poison no longer crippled him and without that dread, he rose up and barrelled forward with full force in his search for Rey.

Despite the many attempts to reach him, often by his mother or father, no one could slow him down.

“You’re not alone, Ben,” Leia said, halting him with a firm grip on his forearm. With his back to her, he inhaled and grit his teeth.

He fought the urge to shake her away and grouse over how she was costing him precious time and preventing him from undertaking a fresh search.

The council met early that morning and Han ordered him into attendance. Unable to deny his father’s request, he begrudgingly shifted and let himself feel. A numbness of sorts came with his wolf form, he could bury himself behind red eyes and black fur, lose himself to instinct and primal need. This ordeal meant he found a love of escapism that kept him from shattering completely.

Irritate and pent up, he glared at his pale fingers and scratched at his stubbled chin, barely listening to the words of each council member as they scoured maps and pinpointed areas to search. With both Rey and Kaydel missing, the efforts to locate the holding facility intensified.

As soon as it was over, he fled, not bothering to acknowledge anyone. It hurt, every tiny thing pained him and it all surfaced in this vulnerable state.

“I need to find her,” pinching his nose, he worked his jaw and attempted to remain somewhat coherent or at the very least, cordial. Maintaining any semblance of calm was difficult.

The urge to transform was white hot. Claws tore up his insides and heat boiled his blood until he sweat, it dripped off of him like liquid embers.

Ever since that initial conversation when he managed to reach Rey through their bond, he communicated very little with anyone, desperate for only one voice to rise above them all. Mind reading was not required to know what the pack thought of him, he felt their stares burn holes into him.

They heard his anguished howls at night, they rippled across the land in hope that she would hear him and know he was going to weather through hell if need be to see her again.

His fall surprised them all. A tight, well-trained composure and affinity for logic were some of his strongest traits but that was before her. A part of him was gone, replaced with a sick blackness and paranoia that whispered he would lose her just as Anakin lost Padme.

“We all want her home, Ben but you’re running yourself ragged, you can’t go on like this,” Leia stressed, relinquishing her hold on him.

A real hearty sense of indigence lanced through him. He turned, quickly and stood tall.

“I can’t stop, not when she is out there and begging me to find her!” He roared, catching the attention of stragglers from the meeting.

Han, Lando and Chewie stopped mid conversation and made their way to them but by that time, Ben was hysterical. He was being burned alive and the only way to stop it was to find her, to plant his hands on her waist and draw her near.

“I’m alone, it doesn’t matter that all of you are here. I’m being torn apart, I want to be free of this pain!” he yelled, thumping his curled fist over his heart. It made it beat a little faster and made him feel alive and not so broken.

Leia’s gaze softened and finally, Ben surrendered, falling to his knees. Like a lost child, he wrapped his arms around his mother’s middle and grasped the back of her shirt.

Warm hands carded through his hair and she began to hum, ignoring everyone around them.

“We’ll help you.”

* * *

Later that night, Ben coordinated with the pack. Poe seemed just as anguished as him, images of Rey, a woman he called his sister lingered in his mind and so the two, shadowed by Han, Leia, Lando and Chewie took off, heading north.

Ackbar and Amilyn lead another group south.

It had been a while since they had all ran together, as always, Han and Leia lead, the figureheads of the pack but Ben remained close behind, ready to overtake if necessary. When they crossed a state line, it was decided they would pair off and so Ben lead Poe, who seemed just as eager and able to match his pace.

The two ran for hours, dodging trees and roaming. They were nearing the next state when he sensed it. A wisp of something tickled his nose, the most fleeting of scents gone as quickly as a rushing downward river. Desperate, he lifted his snout high, circling back and forth and then lowered it to the ground where he caught it once again.

Poe, seemingly unable to catch it, stood still, looking on.

Ben growled, brushing the ground and tapped his paws, unearthing more of the scent. Odd.

Then he felt her.

A rush of goodness overtook his mind but it was quickly eclipsed by a fear that was not quite his own. Possessed, he stumbled forward, noting the subtle change of the landscape and the lack of earthy tones emanating from the ground.

Poe followed his lead.

“Ben, I love you.”

It was little more than a whimper and he scrambled, following the trail until he reached a metal hatch covered by a bush.

“Poe, go after the others, get them here.”

“Ben, you can’t go in there alone, you don’t know what you’re going to find down there.”

Ben shook his head, the impatience and irritation rose up in him.

“If I wait, she’ll…she’ll be gone.”

Poe swallowed hard and nodded, eyes wet but full of faith in him, he could sense it. Without wasting another second, he turned and lunged off into the darkness, leaping and skirting by trees until he was out of sight.

The process of shifting forms was smooth and rapid, the cracking and shortening of bones and the disappearance of thick fur felt fluid and the only sound that escaped him was a shaky gasp as he stumbled to his feet.

His boxer shorts survived it but he kept his claws out and eyes crimson for their enhanced qualities. If any one crossed his path or tried to prevent him from reaching her, he would tear them apart without remorse.

“Rey, sweetheart, what’s happening?”

With bated breath, he awaited a reply. An almost paralysing panic, not his own, bubbled in all of his limbs, leaving his chest feeling tight and restricted. Closing his eyes, he could feel her strained breathing and the shot of adrenaline coursing through her veins like liquid heat.

“There isn’t much time, Ben, I’m sorry that I have to tell you something so important like this. Your grandfather is alive, he’s been imprisoned here and I’m pregnant. I feel it, a pull, a light but solid and clear. But he’s coming for me, the blade in the dark; I can feel it, Ben!”

Ben’s knees gave way, his footing snatched right out from under him. He hit the ground, hard, clutching handfuls of snow. The words pummelled him harder than anything he had ever endured. Such news made the alpha within him preen, he imagined his omega round with life, half of him and half of her. But it was overshadowed by the idea that she would never reach that state, he had witnessed her premonition first hand and saw how thickly the blood rushed from her, right where their child was developing soundly, unaware of what horrors awaited them.

Then there was the news of his grandfather, a man he thought long dead and lost to some unknown fate embroiled in tragedy.

His grief spilled down his flushed cheeks but the threat to Rey’s life was imminent and looming ever closer so he shut down, growling as he gathered himself.

He shuck off the chains containing Kylo, allowing the wolf to bob at the surface.

Inhaling deeply, he curled his clawed fist around the metal handle and yanked open the hatch, tearing it from its bolted hinges. It felt like a tin can in his grasp, light and insignificant so he threw it out of his way. It smacked into a nearby tree, a woodsy crack filled the air but by then, he had gazed down into the darkness, crimson eyes gleaming as he became the most dangerous being in the area.

With one foot forward, he dropped down into the darkness, his landing quiet and not so hard on his knees. As soon as he entered the space, the lights immediately shut off, leaving him in stark darkness. Soon enough, alarms rang out, shrill and loud and blood red lights flashed, matching his eyes.

Figures swarmed him from all sides, guns raised and teeth extended, wolves like himself but they lacked the right motivation and encountered an alpha on the hunt. Four tall males circled him, seemingly clueless how to incapacitate him. The first pinch of his skin resulted in the tiniest of burns; he did not flinch and instead, picked the dart out of his skin and flicked it between the boots of the one who shot him.

A smile crept on his face, the resistance to Wolfsbane having nearly died from it, benefited him and he knew his chances of tearing through them were significantly increased.

Snarling, his nostrils flared as he bared his teeth and reared back his hand, leaping head first against the first man he came in contact with. The quick dispatch of him seemed to startle his colleagues. Ben took no delight in killing but primal urges and the need to find his mate intertwined with the unstable wolf inside, meant Kylo raged and with one swift drag of his claws, the man fell to his knees, clutching his torn throat.

More darts pelted his back. Blood sprayed his face, body and arms, leaving most of his exposed pale skin wet and red, covered in gore and splatter. One sharp turn later and his hand impaled the chest cavity of another, he punctured the organ, watching the eyes of his victim glaze and take on a stupefied mist, almost as if he did not expect this kind of end.

Ben carried remorse as these were pawns in Snoke’s game, more puppets to fill his stage.

A heavy blow came down on Ben’s arm, the handle of a now useless gun. A spasm shot up his forearm to his shoulder causing him to grab the weapon and crush it in his palm. The supernatural strength that came with his inner wolf was astronomical, far more potent than he had ever felt it before. Nothing could touch him.

The other two males were eliminated just as quickly as the others, he made sure not to prolong their suffering and by the end of it, he kneeled, crouched in the middle of the bodies, listening to the static and voices emanating from the walkie talkies attached to their body vests. More would follow so he stood and slithered against the wall, navigating through the corridors as quietly as he could, mindful of sharp corners and the target on his back.

Another string of her scent caught the tip of his tongue and so he followed it, hoping that he would find her and all would turn out okay.

“I’m here, Rey, I’m close.”

Silence frayed and picked away at the bond but he kept moving, navigating through the corridors, feeling her fear heighten to a fever pitch.

Then there came an image, a glint of steel in the dark.

“It’s too late,” Rey whispered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might be happy to hear that I plan to post another update this week.
> 
> 3 main chapters and 1 epilogue to go.
> 
> Thank you to all who read and comment, I appreciate it more than I can ever express 🖤


	29. Sacrifice

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, this chapter contains graphic violence and death.
> 
> It was not easy to write but here we go.

“It’s too late.”

Those final words to Ben cut her deep but not quite as deeply as what she knew would follow. In the back of her mind, she could feel him and hear Anakin shouting but her gaze shifted, transfixed solely on the door where Hux stood, blade in hand. 

The light in the cell flickered then there was a mechanical splutter of sorts and it dimmed, leaving the room in residual light until darkness drenched the small, confined space. An alarm rang out and a flashing light from the hallway left his figure backlit by a stream of bright red, haloing him like a devil who crawled out of hell bearing nothing but death and cruelty in his sights.

Ben had to have triggered the commotion, he was so close but yet so far, he would not make it to her in time. Accepting that fact was difficult.

It was different now, she was carrying a life inside of her and instinctively, her hand cradled the small, almost undetectable curve of her belly. How had she ever missed it? Even now, she could feel a quiet kind of energy against her palm and fingertips, a power she could not quite fathom. Had this been the source of her recent communication with Ben? Perhaps her child amplified her own muted power and surged through the Lupinus and sedatives in her system. It would hardly surprised her, they undoubtedly inherited their father’s strength and that mighty Skywalker blood.

An unfamiliar kind of motherly impulse kept her both levelheaded and ready to strike, the safety of the life growing inside of her swarmed at the forefront of her mind. Not only was her life on the line and with that thought, she knew she would do whatever necessary to survive. 

A wicked standoff ensued, not entirely unlike the one months before where they ravaged each other, tearing through fur and flesh until red copper stained their teeth. Then, the two were separated, both walked away with vicious injuries, a nail scrapping away from death. 

This time, one would fall and never stand again. Before, they had been mostly evenly matched if they ignored Rey’s lack of experience and training. The blind naivety she initially possessed led her to believe in herself without any room for doubt or weakness and that had ultimately been her downfall. There was still so much she did not know and only experience and word of mouth would guide her.

A tunnel vision set in, the thump of her heart roared like thunder in her ears, it had never beat so fast before and it terrified her, she was ready for it to burst out of her chest and end the fight before it ever truly began. Sweaty palms shook at her sides so she fisted them, feeling her nails extend into claws, she would brandish them if he neared closer.

Hux smirked, a flash of yellowed white against the pasty pallor of his skin illuminated by red. The flashing continued as he lifted the knife, a meticulous slow dance and forceful warning. The placement of her hand on her belly veered lower, her fingers loose and curled. The blade scraped against the concrete wall of her cell, a terrible sound followed so she backed away, listening to Anakin’s threats from his own cell. At least she was not alone in all of this, Ben was close, she could feel him thumbing through her mind and see his frantic dash to reach her.

“If you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Anakin seethed but she could not tear her gaze away even for a second to evaluate him. If she did, she risked Hux blinding her with an unexpected lunge or swipe of his knife.

“Hush, old man, I’ll put you down next and finish what my father started.”

Rey stopped breathing completely, letting his words resonate. It explained a lot, the seemingly natural ease of how Hux deceived his pack and the people who raised him. It did not matter that Han and Leia loved him unconditionally, his own vendetta was buried too deep and with it, a thirst for revenge reigned supreme.

“You’re Brendol’s son,” Anakin snarled, positively livid. Long gone was the quiet and ever hopeful man she had come to know. It did not scare her, it built her confidence, an alpha was ready to explode. 

In that moment, she saw a flash of Ben when his eyes dilated, burying the blue completely with stark black pupils. Death sparked in them.

Hux nodded, inspecting the gleam of his blade, his narrowed eyes composed most of the mirrored reflection.

“Yes. You killed my father.”

Anakin laughed sardonically so she spared him another glance, finding his hands curled around the bars of his prison, in his fury, he made small indentations in the metal. The show of power surprised her, apparently age did little to wane whatever strength he possessed.

“I did no such thing. Your father betrayed me and in turn, Snoke ended his life once he saw no further use in him. How convenient your father died, your mother too and so you would be placed in the care of my daughter who raised you as her own. Can’t you see? He planted you in there, his own rabid cur on a tight leash.”

Hux’s lip lifted into a gnarly show of his lengthening teeth, gnashing them together as his face morphed into something inbetween, the thin border between a wolf and a human.

“Lies!”

Anakin shook his head.

“I have no reason to lie, you’re being used and when Snoke no longer needs you, he will kill you, just as he did your father.”

Hux smashed his fist into the wall, Rey startled, tripping backwards into her cot and hit the back of her head against the concrete wall. It knocked the breath out of her but she palmed her skull, feeling warm red paint her fingers.

“Shut up! Once I kill her and the child she is carrying, the Kenobi’s will be no more and your line is next…the Skywalker’s will follow, they’ll finally be wiped out.”

“You’re wrong,” Anakin gritted out, eyeing Rey, concern etched deep into his features. It was the only sign of weakness, the telltale bob of his adam’s apple and the way his bottom lip quivered. So much of Ben stared back at her, the parallels between the two as clear as day after sunrise washed the land in bright sunlight.

In a flash, Hux advanced towards her. The timing was most awful as she was still somewhat disoriented but she slumped over, rolling as he barrelled into the wall, missing her by a few inches. She hit the ground but managed to clamber to her feet before he turned and backed towards the door. Hux seethed, spinning around looking like a feral animal and unlike any man she had seen before. He spread his arms wide, his knuckles bone white with how hard he squeezed the handle of the knife.

Quickly realising that the door was locked, it dawned that flight was not an option for her, if she wanted to survive, she needed to fight despite the odds against her being piled high. 

“It would hurt less if you didn’t fight, prolonging this just makes it harder on yourself,” Hux taunted, stepping closer.

The mere notion of laying down and accepting such a cruel fate sickened her. A wild growl rumbled in her chest and he pounced, to which she again attempted to dodge, throwing herself into the nearby door but he caught her.

The blade sliced horizontally across the top of her arm and she hissed, promptly palming it. The pressure of her fingertips did little to stop the initial gush of the wound. The blood soaked her arm, dribbling and some landed on the ground in a succession of rapid splats.

Hux chuckled, envisioning her end but she kicked out, catching his midsection. It slowed him for minute, his balance shot. Swinging, she caught his arm with her claws, slicing deep into the thin skin of his wrist and forearm but he grunted and shoved her backwards. Healing already knitted both of their wounds together so she took the opportunity to create more distance between them. 

“I’ll kill you!”

Swallowing hard, she glared, watching as he made it back to his feet. Before she could blink, he was back upon her, one hand cradled around her throat and the other raising his knife high.

Up this close, she could see the way his eyes positively glowed as if he was enjoying the violence and found some kind of high from it. 

Stunned, she clawed at his hands, desperate and frantic but he lifted her off her feet and squeezed. Her bare toes skimmed the tiled floor. 

Hux smiled triumphantly and pressed a bloody kiss on her cheek. It felt like a stain against her soul. Shuddering, she fought harder and kicked out, the heels of her feet connecting with his knees.

“Goodbye, Rey.”

Gasping for breath, she watched in abject horror as the blade swooped downwards, she squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the inevitable blow.

But it never connected.

A sharp metallic groan filled the air instead and she fell. Anakin speared Hux to the ground, the bars between their adjoining cells warped and bent. Coughing, she rose up, watching the two struggle.

Hux gained the top position and so without thinking, she darted forward and launched herself across the room, landing squarely on his back and wrapped her forearms across his throat. Gritting her teeth, she applied as much pressure as she could muster and began to choke him.

From across the room, came a series of thuds and distracted, she found herself tossed over his shoulders and thrown to the floor. In their struggle, the knife had been thrown across the room and her eyes zeroed in on it. As if her life depended on reaching it, she scrambled forward but a hand fisted her hair, pulling her backwards and spun her to face him. 

This felt like the end.

Hux’s claws extended but the heavy metal door crashed inwards and suddenly, she was tossed aside again, she scented him immediately, firewood and pine filled the space and she cried out, relief thrummed through her limbs and more.

Ben was wild, more animal than man.

A blur of pale skin darted in, coated in blood with eyes to match.

Alpha.

Cradling her belly, she accessed her injuries, nothing significant, the healing was nearing completion so she looked on, seeing how swiftly Ben dealt with a mumbling Hux, clearly no match for an alpha in the mist and haze of pure rage.

Ben’s fist drove into his face, the crunch of bones breaking and cartilage popping sounded throughout the confined space. Hux, equally as maddened, attempted to lash out and strike back but Ben evaded, twisting his body and dealing his blows efficiently and fluid, like he was made for it, born to inflict damage and in turn, dodge it.

It fascinated her and the omega and wolf within hummed, practically vibrating with pride and admiration. The relief that came with his presence was instantaneous, nothing could touch or harm her, not while he was there and so dominant and bursting with raw, untamed power. That did not mean Hux accepted his end, no, for a beta his skills and combat were exceptional. The two were brothers, not bonded by blood and had undoubtedly trained with one another. They knew each other’s tactics and moves, maybe too well but it did not prevent Ben from gaining the upper-hand. 

Blood and betrayal linked them now.

Both consumed the other through a flurry of punches and well placed swipes sending blood flying. Using her cot to help herself up, Rey stood just as Ben’s fist caught Hux’s jaw which sent the red-haired beast down to the floor, his body curled up on itself.

“Ben,” she whispered.

His whole body heaved, a potent mixture of adrenaline and the eruption of his own will. He turned, eyeing her, eyes a steady crimson. Strands of his hair, sticky and soaked clung to his face and she found herself moving towards him, unable to resist the pull.

It was a mistake.

That was telling of her inexperience. Interfering during a fight could result in the shift of tides and she gasped, seeing Hux stand and lunge for Ben when his back was turned but he never made it.

Anakin was quicker, two hands came down on either side of Hux’s head and with it, a sharp crack as the older man broke his neck, killing him instantly. The body slumped to the floor but so did Anakin, he dropped to his knees and clutched his side. A morbid maroon blossomed, staining his white shirt.

No.

Rey panicked, seeing the forgotten knife and the thick coating of blood decorating it. It felt like a stab to her heart, she yelped, vision blurry with hot tears. This could not be the end. The premonition came to life but the main player was switched, in her place he swallowed what was meant for her. The guilt gnawed and nipped deep.

“No, Anakin!” Rey pulled away from Ben and half stumbled to the fallen man, quickly supporting his weight in her arms, hugging him to her with Ben at her back.

Anakin blinked, gazing up towards the ceiling and groaned, drooping backwards until he lay on his back, limbs sprawled at his sides.

With shaky fingertips, Rey appraised his white shirt and then lifted it, mindful not to disrupt it too much and cause him further pain. A ghastly wound confronted her, deep, dark and sloshing with torrents of fresh blood.

Gasping, she placed both of her palms on the wound in a sad attempt to help it close. But the flesh remained broken and open despite it.

“Why isn’t it healing? She cried out, a beseeching howl. The slow thud of his pulse slithered against her palms, much too drawn out. In her desperation, she looked towards Ben for answers but his face was grim, the very picture of grief she feared the most.

“Fatal wounds don’t heal, Rey,” Anakin supplied, patting her hand with her own. He felt colder than what she was used to, like all alphas, she was used to the heat of his touch but it never came. 

His thumb rubbed circles into the back of her hand, dragging across her knuckles, his warpaint, a rebel red painted both of their skin. Finally, with a shaky intake of breath, his eyes wandered up towards Ben who had taken vigil at his side.

The absence of kin no longer applied to the two. 

Grandfather and grandson finally laid their eyes on one another. Ben grasped his other hand, just as the other came up and stroked his face. Anakin’s fingers stroked Ben’s scar, the one so similar to his own. 

“I loved you before you were even born, I’ve waited so long to meet you,” Anakin whispered, smiling despite his apparent pain.

A sob erupted from Ben’s throat, torn violently from his broken heart. Like Rey, he was unwilling to accept the death sentence laid out in front of them. Maybe there was still hope. Her fingers still pushed down on his flesh. The prospect of losing him wrecked them both. 

“We can’t lose you,” Ben mumbled, shaking his head and swallowing hard. A million scenarios ran through his mind, Rey could see them all, he was desperate to save Anakin. But they all ended with the same bleak future, prevention of his fate seemed out of their reach.

“I’ll be with you, always. You were my only hope, the one who kept me going in all of this. I’m so proud of you, I knew you were going to save us.”

“Tell me how to save you! Please!”

Anakin’s eyes closed briefly and he wet his lips, the colour quickly draining from his peaky pale face.

“You already did.”

“Father?”

Rey’s head snapped up. Leia stood at the door, eyes wide and mouth parted in disbelief. Anakin shifted, his head lolled to the side and a grin, so bright and pure, lifted his lips. A brightness shone in his eyes.

“There’s my little girl.”

Leia’s lips wobbled as she stepped forward and approached her father. Rey watched on in silence as Ben allowed room for his mother who seemed so stunned and lost. Leia kneeled and cradled her father to her body. Her small hands were everywhere, almost as if she was checking that he was real and not some ghost haunting her. Fingers fleeted across the wound that Rey no longer tried to heal.

Beside her, Ben shook and so Rey climbed onto his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck and clung to him. It felt right. Their roles reversed, she calmed him, whispering assurances against his skin, uncaring of how he tasted of copper and death. 

In the back of her mind, she knew that no words would make it better, so she told him that she loved him and felt his heart race against her lips.

The Skywalker’s were reunited, three generations, still so mighty and strong, even when death called and loomed overhead, creeping closer and closer with every second that passed. 

Ben’s hands groped at her middle, his palms flattened against her belly where their child grew and that seemed to calm the tumultuous sea in his mind. A sun rose in the horizon.

Nuzzling her nose against his mating gland, she heard Anakin groan, so she gazed back at him, seeing just how gentle Leia was when she tended to him.

He was even paler than before, his deterioration swift and startling. 

“I love you,” Leia whispered, almost childlike and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

Anakin’s hand curled around her own, squeezing it and he inhaled, a shallow whisper in the quiet of the room. For a split second, his eyes fluttered shut but they opened again, he gazed upwards despite how his pupils were unfocused.

“Padme, you waited for me. After all this time, I knew you would be here at the end,” he smiled, his voice quiet but full of content. No pain lingered around his features.

Ben’s shoulders quaked with silent sobs. Rey hid her pain in the crook of his neck, wetting his chest with hot tears.

Leia nodded to herself and then her father, apparently willing to play the part of her mother and bring ease upon him in his final moments.

“Yes, it’s time to let go, you don’t have to hurt anymore,” her voice wobbled but she managed not to waver in her speech and instead combed her fingers through his hair. An affectionate gesture, featherlight and comforting.

“I met our grandson. Leia raised such a strong boy. He has her eyes…your eyes…our beautiful girl did so well,” he mumbled, barely coherent but still, he smiled.

“I know. And they all love you, but it’s okay to leave now, you saved them,” Leia assured him, firm and resolute.

Anakin nodded, squeezing Leia’s hand a final time before he fell limp, his eyes closed, never to open again.

Leia wailed then, rocking him, not stopping even when Han tried to usher her away, the threat to them all still imminent.

“I can’t leave him here,” she said, borderline hysterical.

“We’ll come back for him, I promise,” Han said, taking her hand. 

A wilted figure stood, sagging against her husband but he was there to support her, hooking his arms under her own and letting her stand still. Weary eyes drifted down to where Anakin lay. In her own state of shock, Rey gripped Ben’s hand tighter, a simple reassurance that she was there and would help guide him through his own pain, blending and merging with her own. United, they would stand.

Amilyn stood stoically in the corner, Poe by her side. Chewie and Lando were much the same, eyes full of unshed tears. The loss touched them all.

As if in a daze, they all left the room, Ben and Rey the final ones to drag themselves to their feet.

Rey glanced back, eyes fixed upon the man who she had only known briefly but whose memory would live on in her mind forever. It was as if he was sleeping, peaceful and finally free of the pain that he carried ever since he lost Padme. At last, his suffering had come to an end.

He died so they could live, the most precious gift, he breathed new life not only to his line but the pack he never had the chance to lead.

Anakin paid the ultimate sacrifice but the circle of life continued, Rey carried a part of him within her.

“Thank you,” she whispered.

All were quiet as they navigated through the corridors, Han lead them towards the entrance when Rey sensed him. 

A whistle sounded, echoing around the space. It gripped her instantly, sending a trickle of prickly fear up her spine.

“Not so fast,” Luke threatened, appearing out from behind a corner, crossbow in hand. He aimed true, straight at Leia.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who are still reading and commenting 🖤
> 
> 2 main chapters and 1 epilogue to go.
> 
> Anyone who knows me, knows that Anakin is my favourite character after Kylo so this was tough. I hope you can understand to some extent why I did it. He was living half a life without Padme. His sacrifice meant he saved his family and that he could finally join her in the afterlife 🖤


	30. Regret

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very short but important chapter.

The blues of Luke’s eyes seemed to glow in the red lighting, ice cold and stormy; he levelled the crossbow, baring his teeth in warning. The wound he had left her with panged in response, a hollow and fiery whisper in her shoulder. Despite the obvious threat, Ben stepped forward, shielding her body with his own, leaving him bare and exposed, almost frighteningly so. 

The move encouraged a rearrangement; Luke hissed and swivelled just a fraction and aimed the crossbow straight at Ben’s heart. In under a second, he could fall to delirium, squeeze the trigger and end her mate’s life. Instinctively, her hand came up and settled on his bloody chest, as if she could stop the arrow breaking through either of their flesh. The threat on his life apparently did not concern him, his heart beat steady and true against her palm with no signs of change. 

It did little to calm her. 

“Don’t aim that thing at my son!” Leia growled.

The rumble sounded like thunder summoned right from the depths of her. With one clawed finger pointed in her brother’s direction, her eyes hardened, smothering her grief entirely with pure, transcendent rage. 

Despite the loss of her father only minutes before, a tragic reunion decades in the making, she rose up, shoulders squared back with her chin tilted up, a rebellious act of defiance in the face of a substantial threat. 

“Don’t force my hand,” Luke muttered, a bead of sweat trickled down his brow. The tremble of his hand was telling, the point of the arrow dipped with every jagged movement.

“Don’t test me,” Leia snarled back, moving without any sign of fear. The contrast of her withered movements before to the ones so utterly confronting, graceful and deadly, rendered Rey speechless.

It was night and day.

“Phasma, escort the rest of the group to the cells, this is a family matter,” Luke ordered, leaving not room for argument or any discussion.

Phasma appeared from the shadows with a group of tall, imposing men at her back. Lando, Chewie, Poe and Amilyn were separated from the others with hands raised. Each seemed ready to fight, their bodies shook as they resisted the change.

Poe mouthed a quick “I love you,” to Rey and she hoped and prayed that her brother would stand down for once and listen.

“Comply,” Han administered the order with clenched teeth.

Phasma was livid. A hatred radiated from her as she appraised Ben, taking in his bloody appearance. 

“You killed him.”

Ben slowly shook his head. It was obvious that she was referring to Hux whose body lay in a crumpled heap in the cell they escaped only seconds before. It left a bitter taste in her mouth, so acidic that she wanted to spit. The man had inflicted damage but he undoubtedly fell for the lies of a monster who revelled in ruining lives and took what he wanted. Anything to further his own cause. Hux was a pawn, one too far gone. The poison ran too deep in him and ate him up, eviscerating any redeeming qualities or morsel of innocence. Before his death, he was long lost to them and nothing could have prevented his fate.

“No. I played a part but I would have killed him for trying to kill my mate, do what you must with that information.”

Phasma seethed, her teeth sunk into her lower lip as tears coated her flushed cheeks but in the end, Luke was the one to send her off and on her way.

“Go.”

With her hands fisted by her sides, she lead the group back into the dark corridors awash with red lights, leaving Han, Leia, Ben and Rey with Luke and some other of his hunters. Each brandished a weapon and kept it trained on their target. The odds were against them, piled high but not too high. They could overcome it.

“Snoke is waiting, follow me,” Luke huffed, swiftly turning and stomping into the shadows.

Without any other choice, they listened and shuffled behind him. Ben’s hand rested on her lower back whilst hers drifted towards her stomach. It terrified her to think of the possibility of endangering the life inside of her but their options were limited. Ben sensed her apprehension and so he projected images of better times into her head, from their first meeting when she arrived in the office, all the way up their engagement. It distracted her, at least for the moment. 

It made her hope and that hope burned bright with no dimming on the horizon.

When they reached a set of heavy wooden doors, Luke stopped until they opened inward, revealing a room, decorated mostly in blood red. Snoke sat upon a throne like structure with his hands splayed out by his sides.

“Greetings, I’m glad you all could make it. It makes things a lot easier on my part,” he chuckled, taking a sip of something from an onyx chalice. His thin fingers clenched around the thin stem.

The room was warm despite the cold interior, sparsely filled with steel structures and varying statues, they all reeked and screamed of death. It brought a chill upon her, it climbed right up her spine and whispered a warning. 

Death was looming, ready for a feeding.

Leia, as always, spearheaded the group.

“Not only were you responsible for the death of my mother but now, my father. Bold of you to assume anything is going to be easy for you, you murderous snake.”

Snoke’s hoarse laugh filled the room once again, he placed his glass on the wide armrest of his throne.

Luke eyes briefly wandered over to Rey, his composure cracked for the briefest seconds at the mention of his parents but he slipped the mask of indifference back on and stared straight ahead. The muscle below his eye continued to jump about on its own accord.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You wanted my mother and when my father figured you out, you kept him here!”

Leia rounded on Luke, her whole figure feral and wild. Hair fell away from the intricate braids upon her head, leaving wisps to float around.

“Our father is dead, lying in one of the cells here and you dare to defend the man responsible for all of this. How could you?”

Luke blanched, frozen momentarily before mirroring her own attack with even more menace.

“You’re lying.”

“Go see for yourself, I held him as he died. Did you know he was here? Locked away like some forgotten animal left to rot?”

“No-”

“-you must have known, did you make him suffer like the rest of us? For years, I thought there was still light in you, something of my twin but I can see you clearly and there is nothing left.”

“Leia-”

“I wish it had been you who died, because my brother, the one I loved, died a long time ago.”

Luke gasped, a broken whimper leaving his lips in a hurried rush. Rey covered her own mouth, knowing of how badly Leia wounded Luke with her truths.

Leia raged, apparently feeling no remorse. Even Ben flinched though he knew this was an essential component of grief for her mother. Anger. It coursed through her and she was looking for anyone to blame. Luke stood as her target, inhaling the brunt of her pain. It seemed fitting as he was responsible for a great deal of their misery over the years.

“That’s enough of that, Leia. Your lies will not turn him away from his noble cause. Ridding the world of wolves is a great solution, here we have experimented with the eradication of the gene and experienced success. We can make it dormant, a dead blight laid to rest.”

Rey glared up at the man sprouting his hideous agenda, even uglier than his physical presence. 

“You’re a monster,” Leia seethed.

Han caught her wrist, keeping her still and from charging at the man who could order their death in the bat of an eye.

“You’re the monsters, the one who tried to turn my own blood against me,” Snoke taunted, gesturing to his side.

Out of the shadows, stepped out Kaydel, wearing a weary, meek expression with eyes shifty. Leia clutched her chest, her hand grasping her shirt, right above her heart. Kaydel stood by the throne, at Snoke’s side.

“Baby,” Leia murmured, Han was equally as moved, their demeanours immediately softening in response to the presence of their daughter.

Kaydel’s bottom lip wobbled and with it, came a fresh stream of tears.

“Mama.”

Snoke snarled, lip curled up in disgust as he reached for his granddaughter’s hand, snatching it up with his own.

“She’s my family, my blood.”

“She’s our daughter,” Han argued, stepping forward.

“More lies,” Snoke hissed.

Kaydel flinched as Snoke gripped her hand, swallowing it with his gnarled fingers.

“It’s not too late, you can come home,” Leia stressed, opening her arms in greeting.

The weight of her want and desperation was heavy. Ben’s thoughts were a sea, one with no bottom. Rey felt them combine with her own, he was projecting and it was difficult not to submerge herself in every turbulent shift in thinking. 

He knew how his mother had suffered during Kaydel’s absence. Leia had already lost one child that night along with her father and he knew she would not cope with another loss.

It would ruin her.

Splinter her soul in two with a chasm so deep, the woman they all knew would disappear.

“I love you,” Kaydel whimpered aloud, gasping when Snoke tugged at her hand, forcing her to her knees. The fall was a short one, she managed to catch herself with the heel of her palm but Snoke was not finished, he grunted and his nails sunk into her flesh, sending red down her forearm.

Leia was ready to strike, midway between shifting, she leapt but not before her brother moved, protecting the man who had caused all their hurt.

Ben rushed forward but it was too late.

Luke was fast, years of hunting had ensured that even as he aged, he was in peak condition. He put himself between the puppet master who made him a dog and the sister who had held on to him for too long.

“You’re lying, everything you’ve said is a lie,” Luke boomed, he shook and raised his crossbow a final time, barely blinking before he squeezed the trigger.

Leia was knocked off her feet with the impact of the blow. Rey blinked, unable to comprehend what just happened and gaped at the scene before her.

Someone screamed. 

A buzzing overcame her hearing and everyone moved in slow motion but she zeroed in on Luke, who shook more violently before.

Clarity washed over him then, the weapon fell to the ground with a metallic clank and he followed soon after, grasping his hair.

“What have I done?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 main chapter and 1 epilogue to go.
> 
> I am going to **really** try and finish this fic this week!
> 
> Thank you so much for reading 🖤


	31. End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, this contains a lot of violence + death.

The world seemed to slip from its axis. It spun, uncontrollably. Time crawled by in a sluggish free-fall where all movements were frantic and desperate but it did not register to her. It was as if she was wading through the shallows and taking everyone down with her.

Time swallowed her screams, coarse and brutal, lodged too firmly in her throat to escape.

Snoke cackled.

A high, offending sound so gravelly and filled with glee that it induced nausea laced with rage. Inclining her neck, she inhaled sharply and glared in his direction. The two locked eyes, both stunned still but he overcame his own shock and the corner of his lips lifted into a grin. A mocking blow. The menace seemed to bathe in tragedy, even when Kaydel tore her hand from his grasp and crawled to Leia, sniffling after unleashing her own set of screams. They were as sharp as claws to the heart, perhaps even more damaging.

Ben wailed, dropping to his mother’s side who for the most part, lay still, hands sprawled around her head and eyes firmly shut. The arrow had sent her flying through the air and into the wall, her head connected with a sickening thud and she immediately went limp. The colour drained from her flushed cheeks as blood dribbled from her nose and gathered around the arrow slick with wolfsbane protruding from her chest.

Han stumbled, swaying and stood beside his wife as if in a daze. 

“Princess?” He rasped.

Rey was frozen to the spot, scarcely able to breathe as Ben’s pain doubled down on her own. It flattened her. She gazed a gazeless stare until she set her sights upon the man who seemed intent on destruction and unable to control his actions. How could he have been so blind? Eyes and brain painted milky blue and washed with lies and deceit.

“That saved me a job. I thought for a moment you would listen to your sister, Luke. After all, she told you the truth.”

A series of expressions crossed Luke’s face, ranging from disbelief to unfathomable grief. The man seemed much older, as if he was weighted down with a boot between his shoulder blades that none could see. It near enough pressed him to the ground. Now that his strings were cut, clipped by the crude puppet master himself, he could barely hold himself up. Functioning on his own seemed like an impossibility.

“My mother…my father…Leia.”

“I wanted your mother, she was supposed to be my omega but your father meddled and she was lost to us. He realised I was behind it and came for me, gave me these scars and nearly killed me but he failed. I made him suffer for all these years, young Skywalker. He was always here, right under your nose.”

“No,” Luke cried out, falling to his hands and knees. Vomit coated the floor, it fell in thick torrents again and again until he heaved and nothing else spilled.

“Yes. I’m honestly surprised you didn’t see this coming. Look at what you’ve done to your family.”

Rey swallowed hard, feeling the tension rise but nothing was worse than the three minds and their loudness as they gathered around Leia. From across the room, she heard their faint pleas and the thud of a slowing heart. It threatened to break her own.

Luke took the chance to view his sister a final time, wiping remnants of sick from his lips. Rey wondered briefly if all the toxicity inside of him, all that rot and hate and poison lay strewn on the floor between his hands.

Then he began to shake, his hunched shoulders quaked almost uncontrollably, undoubtedly torn and boiling between the fury at himself but also Snoke. Both were to blame but in all of it, the corruption came from Snoke, a man so masterful in manipulation that he had nearly turned her. The reach of his mind was black and all consuming, she doubted many came away from him without some signs of a tainted spirit.

Shaking hands fumbled for his prized weapon, the one he had used on her and Leia, they gripped the handle of the crossbow with a white knuckled grip before he managed to stagger to his feet, standing to full height.

Back was the imposing hunter who could end a life with the snap of his fingers or the gentle caress of a trigger.

“This ends tonight.”

“Foolish man, I can’t be defeated, you’re surrounded!” Snoke boomed before taking another sip of his drink.

Underestimating Luke would be his downfall, Rey could sense that.

For the most part, he seemed undeterred by the man he shaped into a spearhead, a killer on a leash who he had let slip through his fingers. Luke turned in a tight circle, a vigilant but impactful statement of his intentions. It left her reeling, he intended to fight and for the first time, he stood on the right side. 

In some ways, she understood his newfound rebellion. There was nothing left to lose. He had seen to that personally. It made her hesitant, the man was a live-wire and if she neared too close, she knew he could flip and inflict more damage.

The doors to the room opened, Phasma entered with only a handful of men, each of them bulky and tall. A growl cut above their entrance. Ben slapped the marble floor beneath him and then curled his fists, beating them down like a drum tune, a countdown for himself.

Before she could even skim his mind and learn of his intentions, he roared and then shifted. An intimidating man rose up as a wolf with vengeance licking at his tongue. In under a second, his pale skin disappeared behind a hulking mass of thick muscle and black fur.

It both terrified and thrilled her, a nervous energy set fire to her veins as she saw the man she loved unconditionally regress into something basic. A creature lacking humanity and who invoked his own justice with his teeth. He made his way over to her, circling in a protective manner as he huffed and snarled. She felt safe, if only in that moment.

It was Ben behind those fierce eyes.

“Kill them all but spare the girl, I have much planned for her,” Snoke ordered, pointing one elongated finger at her.

Murder filled Ben’s mind and leaked into her own, crimson pictures and flashes of teeth.

A beat of silence passed before Snoke gestured to his men.

Chaos erupted. 

Ben barrelled forward, the sheer size and weight of him sent a trove of hunters, clad in black, flying through the air. It was a slaughter in the making, bones crunched and shrieks of real terror followed his movements. With a callousness, lacking any mercy, he began to cut through each person in his way, sinking his teeth into any bit of flesh in his path and carved a river of burgundy red.

With him otherwise occupied, it left her somewhat vulnerable and Phasma saw this. She slipped through bustling and writhing bodies unnoticed, gunning for Rey and lunged. Thick arms locked around her waist and speared her to the ground. The push ripped all the air out of her lungs and knocked her senseless. On the other hand, Phasma seemed more than ready to disregard Snoke’s orders. Her own vendetta ruled supreme and clouded her vision.

The pops of bullet fired and darts propelling slithered into her ears but it seemed inconsequential, the battle around her waged on but her sole focus was the safety of her child. Instincts seemed to power her movements and so she flailed underneath the giant woman, refusing to lie down and accept what life had thrown at her.

Eventually, Phasma managed to hook her two legs over Rey’s hips to pin in her place, a vulnerable position that meant soon, it would be all too easy to pick away at her from above. Adrenaline shot through her system and she used all of it, even the residual traces lingering in her fingertips to swipe up at Phasma and claw at her. What she lacked in experience, she trumped with passion and the will to live so she managed to hurt her even if she evaded some swings.

Phasma’s frustration soon became evident, her knees clenched and exerted a pressure, making it hard to breathe.

“You killed him! He would still be alive if it weren’t for you!” She grunted, shrieking as spit dotted her face. The blues of her eyes darkened, the pupil seeping into the iris, evidence that she was too far gone in her haze. 

“No,” Rey growled back and sent a hard elbow into her middle.

The move caused Phasma to hunch over and sway but she righted herself and branded her own claws, ready to end her. In one final act of desperation, Rey instinctively raised her arms in defence so that her forearms would bear the brunt of the attack.

No such blows rained down on her.

Behind them, Luke released a pained cry as he unsheathed his knife and drove it straight through Phasma’s back. It poked through her chest, bloody, right where her heart was located. Blood splattered her chin.

The woman blinked, clearly confused and brought her hand up to her chest, poking at the blood that oozed from her fatal wound. Luke twisted it once, a fleshy squelch sounded and then she stilled completely, the whites of her eyes on show before she slumped off Rey.

Unwilling to waste any time, Rey scrambled away from the body and warily eyed Luke before taking in the scene around her. Ben still waged on, his back covered in darts packed full of poison but he showed no signs of slowing. It seemed she was not the only one with a resistance to it and for that, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Luke cleared his throat beside her, cleaning his blade on his trousers. The hunter nodded towards Snoke who had risen from his throne. The odds falling from his favour had undoubtedly startled the monster and some part of Rey enjoyed seeing the beginnings of fear take hold of him. It crept quite quietly.

It was a final stand.

Beside her, Ben shook one of the last remaining hunters between his jaws, a real ravaging act before dropping them dead to the floor. Blood made wet of his fur. When he turned he skimmed her mind, sensing her next move, they would ambush Snoke.

In that form he was quicker and so he pounced, using the strength of his hind legs to propel himself and towards Snoke. Rey ran to meet him, not a match for his superior speed since she remained in her human form but it was how it was meant to be, together they would strike him down.

Snoke raised his own weapon; a crude broadsword whose metal blade reflected the red interior of the room, colouring it in a similar but deadlier gleam. Too late did Rey notice one of the hunters raise his crossbow and aim it straight at Ben, another dragged himself to his feet and pointed his guns at him.

Her steps faltered and she fell behind. Luke shoved her to the ground, screaming at her to stay down and darted forward. The leap meant he threw himself in danger’s way and shielded Ben’s back with his own.

A cascade of bullets filled his body, an arrow impaled his shoulder and with a wheeze, he dropped to the ground. By then, Han had moved away from Leia’s side and with the help of Kaydel, they finished the rest of the men off without any trouble.

Rey’s hand flew up to her mouth and she gasped, unable to fathom the sacrifice. In turn, Ben shifted and uncurled himself, standing on two legs, caked in blood. He swept the scene, shaking as Luke coughed and spluttered, suffering but Snoke demanded their attention.

“Ben,” Leia called out weakly, her round eyes glazed but filled with a keen awareness.

Somehow, she had survived.

Leia’s bloody hands tugged at the arrow lodged in her chest and only did she wince when she yanked it out, dropping the metal at her side. Though her breathing was laboured, she smiled, pressing her hands against the wound.

“Mother,” Ben’s face crumpled. 

Relief filled his mind like the sun on a winter’s day. 

Snoke roared, furious at Leia’s recovery. Han and Kaydel raced to her side and helped to apply pressure and stem the bleeding as healing made quick work at knitting her skin back together.

“Finish him,” Leia urged.

Ben swallowed hard, reaching for Rey. They joined hands, determined in their stance. Years of suppressant use alongside his own poisonous concoctions left Snoke unable to shift but he was not defenceless. He was still so incredibly vicious, spitting and spewing curses at them as they closed the distance.

Snoke lunged forward, aiming his long sword right at Rey but Ben caught his wrist and squeezed. A crack filled the room as he broke the man’s wrist. Snoke groaned whilst Ben grappled for the hilt, both of them fighting for dominance. Knowing now was her chance, Rey kicked out and landed a hard strike to his chest. The move prompted him to fall breathless back onto his liar’s throne.

The sword flew through the air with a mighty whoosh.

All was silent.

Snoke’s face twisted into a look of utter incredulity as Ben tore through his middle and severed him in half. No words were spoken, nothing was offered except a small sigh when his upper half detached from the rest of his body and landed on the floor. 

Ben’s chest heaved, his breathing ragged as he threw the sword to the ground, it clattered before ceasing all movement.

The evil was gone.

Dead.

There was no time to rejoice in it. It was a muted kind of satisfaction. Ben pulled Rey close, crushing her to his chest as he showed some kind of vulnerability. He fisted her hair, a lone tear trailed down his face before he placed a bloody kiss on her forehead.

Behind them, Leia whimpered, insisting she was okay.

“Go to her,” Rey urged, running her hands across the wide expanse of his chest. His heart beat slow and steady against her palm.

Even though he was reluctant, he pulled away after a final inspection of the room and finally breathed a little lighter when he found no more threats.

Rey wandered over to Luke, the man who had saved her life and Ben’s with his last few acts on Earth. It was a bittersweet realisation.

Luke lay on his back, his hands fleshy red and face splattered in remnants of blood. Little specks wet his nose and cheeks. Bullet wounds made crude art of his skin, countless scorched burns made red of any bit of exposed skin. Unlike her, he was not immune to the effects of Wolfsbane and it burned him alive. 

“Kill me…please.”

Rey knelt beside him, he smiled with his arms wide and chest heaving. It was a struggle for him, the poison worming its way through his body made him lame and he coughed, blood dribbled down his stubbled chin.

“You once said you would kill me and watch me burn, now is time to make good on your promise, Rey. It’s your destiny, smite me down, child, complete the prophecy and avenge your parents.”

The man had inflicted such torment and pain; his end seemed to serve as the only way to determine the safety of the pack and to prevent furthering suffering. Still, she sympathised with him in some respect, the murder of his mother had chasmed his mind and made him unbalanced. Death would be a kind release he did not fully deserve. In the end he had been the one to help them defeat Snoke, without him, it might not have been possible.

Still, she struggled with forgiveness. Maybe she could never really forgive him, he killed her parents and was responsible for the suffering and deaths of countless others. 

“I don’t know if I have the strength to do it,” she admitted quietly. She thought it was supposed to be easy, that when the moment came, she would not hesitate to rise up and end his life. 

Luke managed to lift himself up so he was kneeling before her.

“You do, you’re stronger than I ever was,” Luke urged, his blue eyes shone as if he finally saw clearly and in focus with a new kind of brilliant clarity for the first time in decades.

Rey mirror his position, palming his shoulder as she steadied him. Despite what was about to happen, she was the one trembling, her fingers shaking and lip quivering whereas he was the image of calm and serenity, as if he had already reached a higher place beyond this cruel world.

“I was wrong about our kind, I’m sorry; I wish I’d seen the light sooner.”

Inhaling deeply, she set her jaw and reared her arm back, thrusting it forward, penetrating his chest with her claws as she hollowed it with a sickly squelch. Clutching his beating heart, she withdrew it, ripping it from his body. The organ pumped a few more times before it stilled.

Luke smiled a final time, a small watery grin lit up his features as his eyes dimmed.

“Thank you,” he whispered, little more than a hushed murmur.

It was a mercy, one that was not afforded to many but it felt right.

Soon after, his eyes drooped closed and his body heaved a final time before he fell forward and she caught him, finally allowing herself to cry for the man who had decimated her family and his own.

It was over.

The organ rolled from her grasp, his dead weight against her felt impossibly heavy so she laid him down, gulping hard when she stood, palming her stomach.

“Rey,” Ben whispered and she flung herself into his arms, hiding her face in the crook of his neck. 

Leia’s ragged breaths filled the room as she stood with some assistance from Han and Kaydel but the colour slowly seeped back into her skin, filling her cheeks with a light flush.

Without the arrow in her chest, the wound began to heal and it was easy to see that it missed her heart by only an inch or two. It begged the question if Luke, a brilliant marksmen, had really intended to kill her but they would never know. He buried his secrets and took them to the grave he was yet to fill.

Rey kept her eyes on Leia, unable to tear her gaze away. They had come so close to losing her, it would have caused a ripple they would have felt for years but her tenacity and fight for life outweighed all.

Kaydel clung to her side, looking like a lost child but one with renewed hope. Han still appeared a little grey, almost in shock but he walked forward, supporting her until they all faced off.

Without warning, Leia and Han dropped to their knees and bowed their heads.

“Ben and Rey, it’s time for you to lead,” Han said, resolute in his decision.

Ben blinked, almost surprised by the declaration. 

“Are you sure?”

“The chosen ones, of course we are. You two proved yourselves today. I stand down.”

Rey stood straighter, letting the words sink in. This is what it had all been leading to. It was their destiny, a prophecy whispered amongst their kind from the beginning of their history.

The pendant around her neck felt lighter, one that told of her bloodline.

The two joined hands and the others rose up from their knees with watery, hopeful smiles. The hurt and hardship came to an end. 

Leia’s smile was the brightest of all even though she grieved for the loss of her father and brother, her spirit still brimmed with hope, just like the sun. Her strength knew no end.

With small, purposeful steps, she stood before Rey and looked to her as if seeking permission for something unspoken. In return, Rey nodded, welcoming the woman who had helped shape her and carved a place in her heart.

Leia’s hands came upon her belly, still quite flat but not entirely. They were warm.

“Twins.”

Rey covered her hands with her own, barely able to contain her tears, ones that came from a place of happiness. A new beginning was on their horizon, one with twin suns that would chase any shadows away.

“Let’s go home,” Ben whispered, thoughts full of loving her entirely and in turn, the lives growing inside of her. 

And so they did, ready to shape their own future and lead the pack.

Outside, the wolves howled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this was the final chapter...the epilogue will be posted on Sunday 🖤
> 
> Thank you for reading


	32. Full

The full moon shone overhead.

The land was awash with white, natural light, complimented by the heat and amber hues radiating from the bonfires dotted about.

Rey bounced Anakin on her leg, cradling him close as his giggles rose above the enthused chatter of the pack. His honeyed hair, a startling reminder of his great grandfather’s, appeared golden in front of the flames, he wriggled and squirmed, pawing at her legs, just like any other curious two year old.

Beside them, Ben balanced Luna on his lap, a much more subdued child, perfectly calm and lulled by the slow rocking of her father’s arms. With a messy head of dark curls, so like her father’s, she did not resemble her twin but the two were inseparable. Two sets of pudgy fingers reached for the other.

Ben smiled, his eyes heavy lidded.

Luna played with his wedding ring, rolling it with her tiny fingertips.

They had married soon after the night where Snoke’s reign of terror came to an end. It seemed fitting, it brought some new spirit and hope for the future. Surrounded only by their family and the pack, they married under the full moon beside the lake. Poe walked her down the makeshift aisle, constructed of driftwood and lit up by a trail of tea lights placed high and low.

The new pack leaders spoke their vows in front of a small gathered crowd, none left unmoved by the passionate promises made between the two. Even Han sobbed, promptly hiding behind Chewie as they were pronounced man and wife.

The wedding dress had been stark white, with a mixture of red and gold trim, representative of the alpha and omega, the chosen ones and the fulfilled prophecy of a Kenobi and Skywalker coming together. Although the dress was light and flowy, it clung to her round belly, a reminder of the new lives that would soon join the pack.

“I think someone needs to go their bed,” Rey teased, to which Ben startled, sitting straighter. Luna pouted.

“We’ll take them tonight, you two deserve a night alone. Enjoy the full moon,” Leia urged, appearing hand in hand with Han by her side.

Anakin practically leapt from her arms into Leia’s. The boy loved his grandmother. Leia caught him with a laugh, cooing at him, spoiling him with kisses and tickles to his sides.

Luna was less enthusiastic.

With a tiny, quiet whine, she clung to Ben with the odd kind of strength only a toddler possessed. Ben appeared torn, ready to coddle her again and forget all about a night alone together. Luna’s chubby, rosy red cheeks and nose scrunched up but eventually, Han managed to extract her with a promise of taking her to see her uncle Chewie.

“On you go,” Han smirked, winking at the pair.

Rey did not fail to notice the knowing look in his eyes and she blushed in response. 

They both kissed each twin, promising to see them in the morning before entwining their fingers as they made their way through wading bodies. Poe danced topless with Finn and Rose, two welcome additions into their family despite them not being wolves.

They were allies in different ways. Finn headed the new border patrol after an expansive surge in their land ownership. Due to his time in the military, he was well versed in defensive strategy and employed a number of new techniques that ensured the safety of the pack and any humans that might have stumbled onto their land.

Rose helped with finances and coordinated days out for the younger people in the area. With their help, they had been able to save enough money to add extensions to cabins and build new ones and so the community became closer, one familiar with each other again. Dressed in Poe’s shirt, she danced between her boyfriends, her belly round and heavy but she showed no signs of fatigue. The pregnancy was a joy they all celebrated.

Rey sent a smile their way as she kissed her brother’s cheek in passing and wished him a good night.

The full moon was always a joyous occasion. Summer was fast coming to an end but heat still clung heavy and the days seemed never ending. When they were out of sight, Ben tugged at her hand, bringing them to a standstill. 

“Let me see you, omega.”

A languid breeze followed his plea, cool featherlight touches on flushed skin.

Admittedly, it had been a while.

Raising two children kept them both occupied, Ben still ran his company and together they lead the pack into prosperous times. Intimacy and quiet times took a backseat, but the underlying want was always present, those longing looks and fleeting touches. Time slipped by so quickly, it was difficult to stand still at times and breathe, just take the other in without something calling for their attentions.

In the woods, on that balmy night, they were finally free and in reach of the other. Just two people bonded in a way that transcended all rational understanding. The moon draped them in its power, calling softly for a change that neither would deny.

With the gentle brush of her finger, the straps of her white camisole fell away from her shoulder. Ben looked on, eyes wide and lips pursed.

“More.”

While her husband was impatient, practically tearing off his own clothes, she was in no rush. With a grin pulling at the corner of her lips, she slipped her sandals off her feet, leaving them bare. After a few seconds, Ben was nude, unabashed and attempting to contain himself.

Hungry eyes roamed over each bit of flesh she revealed. Dropping her underwear and shorts came easy, she kicked those away but her camisole remained on, her fingers lingered around the hem just a second too long.

Without the need for words, Ben knew of her insecurities. He dropped to his knees in front of her, cupping her ass so he could bring her belly to his mouth.

The stretch marks were still parts of herself she was trying to love, she knew that they were beautiful testaments to herself and represented her bringing twins into the world. They left her vulnerable in ways she could never quite explain.

“My mate has earned her battle scars, so beautiful,” Ben murmured, taking his time to hike her camisole up and away so he could smother every inch of her in soft, drawn out kisses. 

He made her feel loved, the adoration raced through his own mind and conquered her self doubt like ocean waves on sand until she was mewling and his kisses turned sloppy, veering lower and lower. Deft fingers made art of her skin, brushing everywhere and nowhere all at once. With ease, he set her aflame.

Gasping, she fisted his hair and tugged, he growled in response, pressing a final kiss to where she need him the most and then stood, donning an almost feral grin.

All of his prior tiredness had slipped away like shadows in night. The muscles beneath his skin rippled and then followed a change, a symphony of familiar cracks and tugs signalling expansion and therefore, the change. Where crimson eyes drowned cedar brown and her husband was gone, leaving a tall, imposing wolf in his place.

It happened with an ease that still left her in awe, the insides of her thighs quivered, wet with slick. The wolf, Kylo, began to pace, encouraging her own transformation but she remained motionless, hoping for some more encouragement. 

He was like a vulture circling its meal and she stepped into the role of the prey with a hungry creature looming in the shadows, the sky and everywhere. Huffing, his circles around her decreased in distance until he nudged her calves with his nose, bowed low like no alpha before.

A great sense of power came with that line of thought, that an omega could hold such influence over the strongest in their society. Those thoughts were soon interrupted by more nuzzling and low growls, his patience apparently running on empty.

Feeling emboldened, she finally pulled her camisole over her head and threw it to the ground, not caring where it landed but in her peripheral, she saw it caught in a bush.

Kylo nuzzled higher, wetting his fur with her arousal, sniffling loudly and obscenely and she shivered, hyperaware of just how basic it all was. Inside, she felt Kira burrow at her insides, incessant in her need for release and so she entered that state of quiet, where she floated away from her body and let her inner wolf blossom and dig its way free.

All too soon, she was on her hands and knees, spine arched and hands buried into the earth. It was over in a matter of seconds, she blinked and with it, came a new kind of clarity. All of her senses were heightened, the shadows were not so dark and his scent…it overcame her. It was hot and needy, the smokiness of it was more like embers, ready to light up.

Remembering how he left her wanting for more, she ignored his advances and leapt forward, eventually using that distance to propel her into a sprint.

“Catch me if you can, alpha,” she called into his mind.

Their bond pulsed, the excitement of the hunt was both thrilling and filled with anticipation. They both knew she could not outrun him, he was far larger but outmanoeuvring him was a whole different story. What she lacked in speed, she more than made up for with her extensive knowledge of the area and ability to work the terrain to her advantage, slipping through places he would otherwise have trouble with.

No matter the outcome, she knew when he eventually caught her, he would pin her down and ravish her in ways she would encourage most eagerly. Her veins were white hot and alive and ready for more.

Feeling him close the distance, almost too quickly, she suddenly shot left, launching off her hind legs to confuse him. Her body was lithe, slender and made for those kind of moves whereas she heard him barrel and huff aloud as he fought to change course.

“Nice move, little one, but I’ll catch you.”

“Maybe I want you to,” she shot back.

The miles blurred under their paws. Landscapes changed from the open land around the lake, filled with tall grass and greenery until they ventured into the mountains. This was where she could lose him if she wanted to, her small body finally an advantage.

Dodging trees came easy, though at times she felt his teeth nip her tail in warning, that he was closing in and that nothing really separated them. His confidence was loud. The rush that came with chasing her prolonged their game, right until she led him back down the mountain and towards their cabin. The expansion meant she could see it even from afar, it stood tall and great amongst the trees, bordered by the lake. 

Just as she rushed closer, Kylo pounced, taking her back. The two rolled, a blend of black and white fur and eyes crimson and gold. They brought colours to the night.

A series of playful bites followed, accompanied by low, husky whines. She blinked and Kylo was gone, leaving Ben in his place, still donning the eyes that threatened to break and make her. Rey’s own transformation was as smooth as his and then it was them, bare flesh, coated in sweat, melding.

“I told you, I’d catch you,” he huffed out, his lips latched onto her neck, right where her most sensitive mating gland was located.

It placated her almost immediately, the soft and deep tug and pulls by his wet mouth left her desperate but she knew what was coming, he would take care of her.

Her fingers trailed the length of his spine, drawing him closer with a bruising hold that made him hiss against her but in a gratifying manner. Ben enjoyed her marking him. It made him swell with pride and so she bracketed his hips and dug her heels into his lower back, urging him some more. 

His hand slithered between them, splaying wide across her belly before dipping lower until he sunk a finger into her hot, slick cunt. Another was added until he was knuckle deep, ravishing her neck and fucking her with his thick digits. Rey moaned, tugging at his hair some more, clenching around what he offered. Each push and pull was sweet torture, it only licked the flames, it was not enough but it brought brilliant pleasure, the kind that made her toes curl and hips roll to meet every thrust.

“So fucking wet, it’s been too long,” he grumbled, sucking her nipple into his mouth and cupping her breast.

They had grown too.

And he loved her new curves, his hands still swallowed every inch of her but there was no denying he obsessed over the new bounce in her chest, heavy and full and him the cause of it.

Her spine arched in response and that caused her to swallow his fingers with a new ease, they dipped deeper until she cried out, clawing at his middle.

“Fuck me, Ben,” she demanded, pulling his face up to her own.

Their lips crashed, a messy meeting of teeth and tongue, both too frantic and far gone for gentleness. Soon his fingers, wet with her arousal smeared both of their lips making the kiss sweeter and more basic and left her empty in other places.

“Anything you want, Rey,” he whispered, grinning against her lips.

His hands encircled her ankles and lifted them, pushing them up towards her chest as he settled between her legs. She was thrown wide open, all on show for him and unable to help himself, he lurched forward, drawing his hips up until his cock brushed through her folds.

Panting, she watched as his chest heaved and their eyes locked, both undoubtedly wide and bright, mirror copies of the other.

The way his teeth found purchase in his bottom lip riled her further, she pawed at his forearms until finally, he nudged forward and slid home, at first so excruciatingly slow. Sensing her desperation, he snapped his hips forward and filled her completely, she gaped, gasping as he tumbled forward caging either side of her head with his elbows.

“Still so tight.”

The filling sensation was something she would never tire of, it was the only time she felt truly complete. A series of curses spilled from his lips as she clenched down around his cock with every thrust. He rutted into her like no man could, he was something in between, one whose passion exuded warmth and desire, it dizzied her.

Their hips moved in tandem, the slapping of damp skin, grunts and moans filled the air. His pace alternated between quick and slow, a crawling drag and fevered lunges until she bit into his shoulder, scarcely able to cope with the sensory overload and goodness of it all. A featherlight touch to her swollen clit was enough to send her over the edge, she careened, screaming before she fell back to the ground, still taking his cock and all he offered.

Her cunt fluttered and then he was gone, spilling into her without warning or sign, a shocked gasp fanned across her flushed face as he filled her up.

“Fuck, yes, take it all, Rey,” he grunted as he came down, rolling them to their sides. 

Her heart raced and his matched, beating with a staggering rhythm against her back.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” she murmured, content.

Sometime during the night, they separated and Ben carried her back to the cabin, cleaning between her legs before placing her in bed. Thin sheets, suitable for summer, covered them as they embraced.

The two fell into a deep slumber, wrapped around one another. When morning came, sunlight streamed into the bedroom, lighting it in a golden hue and filling it with renewed warmth.

“Mama, dada,” came the voices of their children, their words filtered through both of their minds. It came as no surprise that they possessed their own talents. The two excelled in mind reading and projecting despite their young age but they were mostly tuned to Rey and Ben, as if they all existed on their own special frequency. That line of communication served them well.

The two clearly wanted to come home and she wanted them with her. Though she enjoyed her time alone with her husband, she always felt a little lighter with her children nearby. Every moment with them was a gift, even during the trying times of motherhood, she counted herself lucky.

Ben huffed against her back, palming her hip and basked in her heat, pressing soft kisses along the length of her shoulder.

“I’ll go get our pups,” Ben moaned, voice still thick with sleep. More of a gravel than anything else. With a final kiss to her mating gland, he slipped out of bed.

Rey smiled to herself and projected images to the twins, ones that told them that their daddy was coming to collect them. 

“Don’t be long,” she called out, hugging a pillow to her chest.

Ben grinned from the doorway having pulled on some jogging bottoms and a simple white t-shirt.

“We’ll be back before you know it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where do I begin? 
> 
> A year to the day, I posted Wolves, my first work of fiction. It has been a wild ride and these characters and world will forever have a place in my heart.
> 
> Thank you to everyone who stayed with me for the duration of this story. I appreciate every single one of you.
> 
> A special thank you to Rebecca, the giftee of this story. Without you, it is likely this would not have been completed. You gave me all the encouragement in the world and connected so deeply with these characters. I love you. 
> 
> All my love, Alba 🌕🐺

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work of fiction.
> 
> I was unsure if I was going to continue it but thanks to all the support, I will be! I hope you enjoy the wild ride :D


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